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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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HOW 

TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



Containing Full Instructions for All Kinds of 

Gymnastic Sports and Athletic Exercises. 



EMBRACING 35 ILLUSTRATIONS. 



s 



/ 

BY PROF. W. MAODONA: 




f *- C OP YRl «H 

H9 



A Handy and Useful Book. 



New York: 

FRANK TOTJSEY, Publisher, 

31 and 36 North Moore St. 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1889, by 

FRANK TOUSEY, 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 



|ow to JJecome a gymnast. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Some generations since, the state of society was so essen- 
tially combative, that men valued mere brute force far be- 
yond the more ethereal qualities of the mind, and cultivated 
it accordingly. 

To train the body was the grand end of education; and the 
best-educated man wa3 he who could strike the heaviest 
blows, and endure the greatest labor. 

Sometimes a knight and a gentleman possessed the ac- 
complishment of reading, and thereby obtained the character 
of a great scholar; while, if he could alao write sufficiently 
to sign his name, was in some danger of suspicion as a 
wizard. 

As civilization proceeded in its onward march, men be°;an 
to feel that learning and science did not really degrade hu- 
man nature, and perceived that a knight might chance to be 
a better gentleman if his mind were cultivated as well as his 
body. 

There seems al3o to have been a little jealousy at work; 
for as learning was, as a matter of course, confined to the 
cloisters, it naturally followed that their inmates exercised a 
sort of increasing influence over the strong-handed but pud- 
ding-brained race that surrounded them. 

So, by degrees, it happened that the brains of Americans, 
after being for many generations systematically cramped, 
besan to expand and develop themselves. 

Then followed a reaction, which has continued nearly to 
the present day. 

Nowadays the brain is stimulated from early year3, forced 
like a cucumber under a glass shade; the intellect is culti- 



4 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

vated at the expense of the body, which is left to grow as it 
best can. 

In this book I say nothing of the education of the affec- 
tions, for this subject belongs to another place. 

But people are beginning to awake to the idea that the 
body is a very important portion of the humanity, and to feel 
that the health of the body is most influential upon the 
mind. 

When the body is indisposed, the brain is indisposed also, 
and the mind cannot act properly upon its disordered me- 
dium. The intellectual powers lose their grasp, the fancy 
ceases to glitter under the pressure of illness, and a tempo- 
rary attack of indigestion, which is mostly caused by inert 
habits, might lose an empire. According to history, it did 
once lose a battle. 

Happily there seems now to be a general feeling that body 
and mind ought to be developed to the utmost, for they are 
both gifts to us, and for the proper use of both we are re- 
sponsible. 

I have for years been much impressed with the exceeding 
value of gymnastic exercises in educating the young, and 
have always introduced them as a regular part of education. 

Even irrespective of the increased health that those studies 
impart, and the spring which they give to the mind, they 
possess one great advantage, namely, that they endow the 
gymnast with great presence of mind in difficulties. 

By practice a gymnast's fingers and toes cling like burrs, 
where ordinary people could find no hold at all; and he 
feels himself perfectly safe, where others would assuredly 
perish. 

It is curious that we, who possess perhaps the finest and 
strongest figures of all nations, should leave ourselves so 
undeveloped bodily. There i3 not a man in a hundred who 
can even raise his toes to a level with his hands when suspend- 
ed by the latter members: and yet to do so is at the very be- 
ginning of gymnastic exercises. 

We, as a rule, are strong in the arms and legs, but weak 
across the loin3 and back, and are apparently devoid of that 
beautiful series of muscles that run round the entire waist, 
and show to such advantage in the ancient statues. Indeed 
at a bathing place, I can pick out every gymnast, merely by 
the development of these muscles. 

It must be remembered, too, that a man need not possess 
very large muscles to be a very strong man. 

At first the effect of these exercises is to enlarge all the 
muscles; but after awhile they become smaller in volume, 
but wiry and sinewy in texture, with no superabundant fat 
among their fibers. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 5 

EXERCISES WITHOUT APPARATUS. 

COMMENCEMENT. 

At the beginning of gymnastics there is no need for any 
apparatus whatever, and the beginner will find that several 
of the feats which I am about to mention will tax his powers 
to no small degree before he takes to rope3, horses and 
poles. 

If he should feel himself fatigued while learning any feat 
he should rest awhile, and when refreshed, either try again 
or pass to another movement, 

DRESS. 

The best costume for a gymnast (if he uses any costume at 
all) is a light and loose flannel suit with a belt round the 
waist, that can be buckled to suit the convenience of the 
wearer. 

Some gymnasts like their belts to be very wide, and toler- 
ably stiff'. 

The shoes should be quite light, made of soft leather, and 
without heel3. 

Always keep a coat or wrapper at hand, and put it on 
while resting, for there is nothing that is more likely to give 
cold as to sit in the open air, or in a draught, while heated 
and fatigued. 

The gymnast will find himself much benefited by a spong- 
ing with tepid water immediately after he has finished his 
exercises. If practicable, a shower-bath is even better. 

ECONOMY OF TOWER. 

The study of gymnastics does not only increase the bodily 
strength, but teaches the learner how to economize that 
power which he possesses. 

When an unskillful person is trying to perform any feat — 
such, for example, as raising himself by his hands — he makes 
a series of violent struggles, and flounders about with his 
legs. 

Now every movement, except that which is requisite for 
the performance, is jus t a waste of so much strength, and 
only serves to exhaust, instead of assisting. 

A good gymnast perform s all his feats quietly and easily ; 
and, indeed, it is almost a general rule, that when some feat 
appears to be especially easy, it is in reality exceedingly 
difficult. 

We now proceed to the first exercise. 

EXTENSION. — NO. 1. 

Place the feet close together, and stand perfectly upright. 
Now stretch the hands out straight in front, at the level of 
the shoulders, and place the palms together. 



6 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

Separate the hands, and stili keeping them at the same 
level, and the arms straight, trj r to make the backs of the 
hands meet behind you. 

Continue to practice this movement until the hands meet 
easily behind. It is very difficult at first, but soon becomes 
easy, and is a splendid mode of opening the chest. 

Take care to keep the feet together, and the body upright. 
No. 2. 

Stand as before, with hands in front, palms upwards. 

Close the hands, and bring the eloow's sharply backwards 
until the hands are level with the sides. 

Send them forward again, as if you wanted to annihilate 
the enemy in front, and repeat until tired. 
No. 3. 
. Stand as before, but bring both fists to the. shoulders. 

Send them upwards, as if the enemy were in the clouds. 
Bring them down as if there were another on the ground 
who must be crushed with the elbows. 
No. 4. 

Stand firmly and uprightly, throwing the weight of the 
body rather on the front of the feet- 
Stretch out both hands, with fists tightly shut. 

Now bring them slowly over the head and make them re- 
volve in circles, first forward and then backward. 

These exercises should be done very slowly, and especial 
care taken that the body is kept upright. 

These extension movements are intended to give ease and 
pliancy to the arms and their joints. 

The beginner must expect to find himself rather stiff after 
he has been performing them, especially after No. 1; but 
the feeling will very soon wear off, and does not again make 
its appearance. 

TOE PRACTICE. 

Place the bands on the hips, and stand quite upright. 

Rise slowly on the toes as high as possible, and remain so 
as long as possible. 

Do this many times, for it strengthens the calves of the 
legs mightily. 

Remember to keep the knees quite straight. 

After practicing this movement for some time, vary it by 
jumping on the toes, keeping the knees stiff", body upright, 
and the heels well off the ground. 

KNEE PRACTICE — No. 1. 

Stand as before, and kick your thighs with your heels, 
using each leg alternately, and as rapidly as possible. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 7 

No. 2. 

Keep the body very upright, and strike the chest with 
each knee alternately. 

Be very careful not to stoop forward so as to meet the 
knee with the chest. 

This exercise is intended to loosen the knee-joints in an- 
other manner. 

No. 3, 

Stand as in No. 1, and kick both thighs with both heels 
simultaneously. 

A slight spring from the toes is required to achieve this 
feat properly. 

If rightly performed, the feet should come to the ground 
on precisely the same spot. It looks very clumsy if the per* 
former loses his balance, and keeps altering his place. It 
shows that his body is not perfectly upright. 

No. 4. 

Place both feet together, the toes on a line, and the hands 
on the hips. 

Now kneel slowly until both knees rest on the ground. 

Rise a^ain, without removing the hanas frcm the hips or 
the toes from the line. 

Do it twenty times at least, without stopping. 

No. 5. 

Now for the first hard one. 

Stand as before, with the toe of one foot on the line (say 
the right foot) and the other foot oft' the ground. 

Keep the left foot from touching the ground, and kneel 
upon the right knee. 

Rise again without moving the toe from the line. 

This is rather difficult, and requires a nice balance of the 
body. Be careful to kneel very slowly, or otherwise the 
knee will come down with such a thump that it may suf- 
fer no small inconvenience. 

Practice this with each foot alternately. 
No. 6. 

Plenty of knee practice. Here is another stiff one. 

Stand on the right foot, bend the left knee, and hold the 
left foot in the left hand. 

Now touch the ground with the left knee, and rise up 
again without losing hold of the foot or suffering it to 
touch the ground. 

As in the former cases, the right toe should remain on a 
line and never move from it. 

At first it will appear as if some resistless power were 



8 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

dragging the foot out of the hand, but after awhile it be- 
comes easy. 
Practice with both feet. 

No. 7. 

As the preceding, only do not hold the foot or suffer it 
to touch the ground. Take care not to lose the toe-line. 

No. 8. 

\ Hardest of all, and very comical. 

Hands on hips, toes together on the line, body quite up- 
right. 

Rise on the toes, and then sink gradually down, the knees 
projecting in front, until you sit on your heels, the whole 
weight of the body being supported on the toes only. 

Down you go, so pick yourself up, and persevere until you 
succeed. It is not so much the strength as the knack that 
is needed here. 

SITTING PRACTICE.— NO. 1. 

Stand upright, cross the feet, and sink gradually until you 
rest on the ground after the tailor fashion. 

Rise again, without moving the hands from the hips or the 
feet from their places. 

No. 2. 

This exercise is a capital test of the ability of the tailor 
who makes the gymnastic suit of clothes; for if there should 
be a defect in the nether garments, they will fly asunder with 
a report like a popgun. 

When the gymnast can manage this feat, he may congrat- 
ulate himself on having made a considerable advance. 

Stand upright, extend both hands in front as a counter- 
poise, which is much needed, and hold out the left leg in 
front, at right angles with the body, and knee quite straight. 

Now, still keeping the left leg in its position, bend the 
right knee very slowly, and sit on the ground. 

Being seated, rise again, preserving the same attitude. 

Don't be in too great a hurry to take your seat or you will 
come down with a run. 

This is an invaluable exercise, as it gives a power of rais- 
ing the body when in a position from which none but expert 
gymnasts could even stir. It is very difficult at first, for we 
feel a great repugnance to let the body sink sufficiently low, 
and most who try it declare it to be impossible. 

However, after a few trials, they get over its difficulties, 
and manage it easily. 

CUTTING CAPERS. 

. Stand with the toes together, and hands on hips. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 9 

Spring upwards, and, as you rise in the air, cross your feet 
and return them to the same position. 

The toes must be kept pointed, as they will strike against 
each other as they attempt to cross. 

Do not heed the curious sensation as if the feet were Leld 
by bonds, but persevere. 

FOOT TO HAND. 

Keep the body upright, hold out the right hand in a line 
with the shoulders, and kick it with the right foot. 
Practice both feet alternately, knees quite straight. 

THE COMPASSES. 

Easy enough, but useful. Spring into the air, and spread 
the feet as widely apart as possible, bringing them together 
again before touching the ground. 

THE HANDSPRING. 

Siand on the toes, lower yourself as in knee practice No. 8. 

Throw yourself forward at full length, body stiff, and sup- 
port yourself on the hands and tips of the toes. Take care 
of the nose. 

Then spring from the ground with the hands and clap 
them together before they touch the ground again. 

To rise neatly from this position bring your feet between 
the hands with a sudden spring. It looks neat if you clap 
your hands as you bring up the feet. 

TOUCHING TOES. 

Hold the hands above the head, the palms in front and the 
thumbs just touching each other. 

Now, keeping the knees stiff and straight, bend over until 
the fingers rest on the toes. Continue to practice this until 
you can pick up a sixpence at each heel while the knees are 
kept straight. 

OVER THE STICK. 

Take a stick of any kind, a poker or a walking-stick will 
do, and hold it with the hands three feet apart. 

Stoop down and place your knuckles on the ground in front 
of your toes, still retaining hold of the stick. 

Then step over the stick without loosing your grasp or 
moving the knuckles from the ground. It is capital prac- 
tice. 

JUMPING THROUGH THE HANDS. 

Hold both hands in front of the body, place the tips of the 
middle fingers together and jump through them without sep- 
arating the fingers. 

Take care not to knock the chin with the knees, for both 
those portions of anatomy have to approach each other very 
closely before the feet can pass through the arms. 



10 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



Don't attempt to perform this feat if your shoes have heels 
to them, or your thumbs will suffer. 

EXERCISES ON THE PARALLEL BARS. 



THE BARS AND THEIR CONSTRUCTION. 

The Parallel Bars are very simple in their structure. 
They are two wooden bars, about six or eight feet in 
length, four inches deep and three wide, with their upper 
edges rounded off to prevent damage to the hands. 

They are placed about eighteen o? twenty inches apart, 
and four feet high, and fixed according to pleasure. 

If they are intended to be permanent, they can be support- 
ed on four posts firmly driven into the ground. 

But if they are to be used under cover they ought to be 
supported on a wooden framework. And it would be much 
more convenient for the frame to be nicely mortised together 
and held by screws, so that, in case of removal, it can be 
taken to pieces, and packed in a small compass. 

This mode of manufacture is just as easy as any other, 
and infinitely more convenient, 

If I were to give an account of every maneuver that can 
be executed in the Parallel Bars I should require a large vol- 
ume especially devoted to that subject. 

I shall, therefore, content 
myself with noticing the 
more important feats that 
are generally executed, and 
leave t.he reader to invent 
as many more as he chooses. 

TO GET ON THE BARS. 

Stand between the bars, 
with hands closely pressed 
against the sides. Spring 
up, and placing a hand on 
each bar, remain suspended 
between them. This is call- 
ed the first position. 

When fairly established, 
accustom yourself as much 
as p )ssible to the bors, 
and practice the wrists in 
their work. 

SWINGING. 

The next feat is called the swing. 

While suspended between the bars, with the kneel straight 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



11 



and the feet touching each other, begin to swing the body 
backwards and forwards. 
By degrees increase the swing, until the body, when swing- 




ing backwards, is nearly upright in the air; and when going 
forwards, the feet come nearly over the head. 

The accompanying figure shows a learner who can nearly 
accomplish this feat. 

THE WALK. 

First position. 

Now walk along the bars, using the hands as feet, and 
when you have reached the end, walk back again. 

It is not so f>asy as it seems, and the back walk tires the 
arms entirely. 

Keep the arms straight, and don't shrug your shoulders 
over your ears, or make irregular and hasty steps. 

THE LETTER L, 

First position. 

Raise the legs to a level with the bars, making them form 
a right angle with the body, and keeping the knees quite 
straight. 

In this attitude the gymnast turns his person into a repre- 
sentation of the letter Tl. ' 

After doing this 
figure in the first 
position, stand be- 
tween the bars, 
pass the hands 
under them, and so 
grasp them from 
the outside. Then 
make the L again 
as shown in the cut. This is a very useful figure to learn 
and strengthens thesloins greatly. 

SITTING ON THE BAR. 

When in the first position swing the legs forward, and you 
will be able to seat yourself on either bar, as shown in the 
engraving. 




12 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 




A more powerful impetus will enable the gymnast to throw 
himself entirely over the bar and to come to the ground- 

The swing in either direction will 
be found sufficient to throw the gym- 
nast over the bars without any ap- 
parent exertion, only he must be 
careful to keep his knees straight, and 
to clear the toes. 

THE JANUS. 

Sit on the bars as on the saddle — 
one leg over each bar, and the hands' 
resting on the bars behind the legs. 

Now disengage the feet, swing 
boldly through the bars, and seat 
yourself astride, with your face in? 
just the opposite direction. 
Be sure to swing high enough, or the shins will be sadly 
knocked against the bars. 

RISING AND SINKING. 

First position. 

Sink gradually between the bars, until you assume the 
attitude shown in the cut. 

Remain in that 
attitude for a short 
time, and then rise 
again. 

There are fev ex- *s 
ercises that open 
the chest more de- 
cidedly than this. 

There is rather 
a neat modification 
of this maneuver, 
called 

KISSING THE BARS. 

Sink between the 
bars, as in the preceding paragraph. 

Then ki3S each bar successively behind the hands, an$ 
rise. 

It tries the wrists somewhat, as well as the chest* 

BAR-JUMPING. 

First position. 

Now proceed along the bar3 by a series of jumps with the 
hands. 
Practice this at first with bent knees to make the work 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



13 



easier, but do not rest content until you can jump along back- 
wards and forwards with straight knees. 



THE ARM SWING. 



First position. 




S ud d enly 
bend the el- 
bows, and 
rest with the 
fore-arms on 
the bars. 
Swing while 
in this posi 
lion, and look 
out for elbows. 

When you have swung sufficiently, hang suspended be- 
tween the bars, and then raise yourself on the hands again. 
Practice the drop upon the fore-arms and the rise as often 
as possible. 

STANDING ON THE BARS. 

Now one of our former exercises ^Sitting Practice No. 2) 
comes into play. 

Sit astride 
either bar, 
and secure a 
good balance 
of the body. 

Then place z^ mmm * ■■..,,. ». t , 

the sole o f «/ - = 

one foot on JSi ^- JI - M-^^ 1 ^-^ | ' M 

the bar, and W m 

hitch the other toe under it. 

Now, by means of the toe, draw yourself to an upright 
position, and bring both feet together. 





This is a very neat little exercise, and often entirely baffles 
those whose previous training has not fitted them for it. 



u 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



THE BARBER'S CURL. 

Go to either end of the bars, and do 'he letter L. 

Count ten and turn slowly over, as the central figure in the 
engraving, until you assume the attitude represented by the 
right-band figure. 

Count ten and re-curl yourself to the L, when you may 
again count ten, and then rest yourself. 

Be careful to keep both kne^s quite straight, and the feet 
well off the ground. 

THE SAUSAGE. 

Begin by kneeling on the bars, and placing both hands on 
them. 

Slide the hands 
^ forward and the 
9 legs backward, 
hitching the toes 
over the bars, un- 
til the body hangs 
between them. 
Count ten and 
draw yourself up again. 

Don't be afraid. You will not snap across the middle, al- 
though you may feel as if you were about to do so every mo- 
ment. 

THE SPRING. 

Swing at one end of the bars, and, when in full course, 
launch yourself forward, alighting on your hands in the grass- 
hopper fashion shown in the engraving. 





Very o-reat care must be taken of the accuracy of the bal- 
ance, "or^down vou 20 between the bars and come flat orr 
your back on the ground. 

TOUCHING THE BARS. 

First position. , 

Now, suddenly take the right hand from its bar, and touch 
the left bar in front of the body, instantly returning the 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 15 

hand to its own bar. Look out, or you will drop through 
the bars. 

Do the same with the left hand. 

When you can do this easily, practice it with .thi3 modifi- 
cation—that you pass the hands behind the body in touch- 
ing the bars. , 

THE GIANT STRIDE, 

Or Flying Step. 

Many schools possess this admirable piece of apparatus, 
but in very few is it used properly, or its powers rightly 
shown. 

Generally the.pupiis are contented with taking hold of the 
ropes and running round the pole. Then they complain 
that the thing is useless. 

Whereas, the Giant Stride is a capital affair for a school, 
as it can accommodate from four to six players at a time, 
and lends itself to all their peculiarities. 

If they come out on a cold day, and want to be warmed, 
five minutes of Giant Stride will send a glow through their 
systems that will defy any frost. 

If they want to jump over heights, the Giant Stride will 
launch them over a ten-foot pole, if they wish to perform a 
series of graceful movements, the Giant Stride affords facili- 
ties little short of those given by the ice. 

STRUCTURE OF THE GIANT STRIDE. 

It is composed of an upright pole, tipped with a revolving 
cap, to which are fastened sunary ropes. 

The central pole is best made of a tree trunk— if a rooted 
tree, and it can be left undisturbed, so much the better. 

Otherwise, it must be of thoroughly weH-seasoned wood, 
strong and genuine. 

The lower end should be charred, in order to keep it from 
rotting, and the hole in which it is set should be quite six 
feet deep, and paved with stones. 

From the ground to the top of the pole should be about 
fourteen to fifteen feet. 

An iron cap is then placed on the top, traversing freely on 
a pivot, and carrying four rings, on which are fastened four 
ropes. To the end of each rope should be fastened cross 
bers of elm or ash about two feet in length. 

The apparatus being thus completed, the gymnasts are to 
hold the cross bars at arms' length, and run round the pole, 
bearing their weight on the ropes, so that their hands, 
heads, and feet are in ihe same line with the rope. Their 
feet will then gradually leave the ground, and only touch at 
intervals. 



16 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

After practicing this from right to left, do the same from 
left to right, until it is as easy to run one way as the other. 

Take care not to lose your balance, or you will turn round 
and grind yourself on the ground very unpleasantly. 

This is but the beginning. The young gymnast should 
then run round, keeping himself constantly rotating, which 
may be done by the touch of the toe against the ground. 

Another accomplishment is to describe four circles in go- 
ing round the pole, making the hands the center of each 
circle, and the feet the circumference. 

A pole should also be erected, about a yard outside the 
range of the feet, and to this should be fixed a number of 
pegs, which will support a string passing from the central 
pole. Over this the gymnasts should leap, performing the 
movement merely by the centrifugal force, and not by the 
spring of the feet. 

About ten feet 13 considered a good height for a boy to 
attain, but a man can go higher. 

CLIMBING THE BOARD. 

Let a board be fixed at an angle against some object, 
such as a wall, and capable of alteration. 

Let it first be fixed at an angle of forty-five degrees or so, 
or even at a less angle than this if necessary. 

Then grasp the outside edges of the board with both 
hands, set the feet fiat upon its center, and try to mount by 
moving hands and feet alternately. 

Make very little steps both in ascending and descending, 
and. in the latter instance, be specially careful to avoid a 
sudden slide down the board. 

As you improve, set the board more upright, until you can 
ascend it when it is quite perpendicular. 

It is also possible to ascend a pole in the same manner. 

Remember that the soles of the shoes must not be new and 
slippery, or neither pole nor board will be surmounted. 

CLIMBING THE POLE. 

The ordinary mode of ascending a^ pole or a bare tree- 
trunk (in some places called " swarming,") is by grasping it 
with the arms and legs, and alternately raising them to high- 
er positions. 

Some jrymnasts ascend the pole as stated in the preceding 
paragraph; and it certainly has the advantage in point of ap- 
pearance. , 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 17 

In descending the pole, be careful not to slide down too 
fast, or tnere will be excoriations of skin and damage to 
clothing. 

CLIMBING THE ROPE. 



This most useful exercise should be constantly practiced. 

In every gymnasium there is at least one rope suspended, 
which ought to hang freely, and to be witnout knots. 

The easiest mode of ascending the rope is by grasping it 
as high as possible with the hands, and holding it also with 
the feet, one of which is under and the other pressing upon 
the rope. 

Thus the weight of the body rests considerably on that 
portion of the rope that is held by the feet. 

Then, as the hands are raised to take a higher hold, the 
feet sustain the body, and vice versa. 

But one who means to be a true gymnast despises the feet 
in rope-climbing and pulls himself up solely by the alternate 
action of the hands. 

Be very careful never to descend by letting the rope slide 
through your hands, as it will assuredly inflict a painful 
wound, and may cut them to the bone. 

Always descend hand under hand. 

Many exercises may be performed on the rope, which will 
suggest themselves to the gymnast. 

For example, it an'ord3 a decided contrast to the ordinary 
mode, if you grasp the rope with the hands, and then, in- 
verting your position, throw the feet over the head, and hold 
the rope between them, keeping the knees straight. 

In this attitude ascend the vope and descend again, taking 
care not to let the hands slip, or the strength of your skull 
will be unpleasantly tested. 

Again: Grasp the rope at a point about two feet from the 
ground, and retreat as far as you can, holding the rope in 
the hands. 

Now leap into the air, and swing as far as you can, launch- 
ing yourself forward, and marking the spot where the toes 
touch the ground. 

Be careful to curl the body well upwards as you swing for- 
wards, or you will assuredly scrape the ground just under 
the point where the rope is suspended, and the consequences 
wilJ be disastrous to clothes and cuticle. 

THE HORIZONTAL BAR. 
This is a very simple piece of apparatus, being merely a 



18 ' HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

pole fixed horizontally at any height that may best suit the 
gymnast. 

There are several modes of fixing it, the most usual being 
to fasten each end to an upright post, which is furnished with 
mortises, so as to permit the height of the bar to be altered 
at pleasure. 

But there is one- mode, which I especially affect, called the 
triangle, which can be used wherever there is a beam of suf- 
ficient height for its suspension. 

It is made as follows: 

Get a bar of any strong wood—deal will do, if it is uniform 
in grain and quite free from knots. Its diameter is about 
two inches and a half, and its length a little over three 
feet. 

Also, get a piece of well-made, but not very thick rope, 
about eighteen feet long, and securely fasten the ends of the 
rope to the ends of the pole. 

Fasten an iron ''eye" into the center of the rope, and you 
have the most important part of the triangle made. In fact, 
the rope and pole do form a triangle when suspended from 
the " eye." 

Have a strong iron pulley firmly fixed into the beam, pass 
a stout rope through it, fasten one end of the rope to the 
"eye " of the triangle, and haul away at the other until you 
have suspended the pole at the proper height. 

Make fast the loose end, and then you have an apparatus 
that can be adapted to little boys of eight years old, or tall 
lads of eighteen year3 of age and six feet of stature. 

The proner height for the horizontal bar is when the raised 
hands cannot quite reach it, and a small jump is requisite 
before the gymnast can suspend himself by his hands. 

The triangle is useful, because it swings and twists about, 
and requires the gymnast to exert his power exactly in the 
proper direction ; for if he does not so, away goes the bar 
out of his reach. 

Besides, it is good to be accustomed to maintain a safe 
hold on so changeful a support, and not to heed any amount 
of swing or spin. 

Having adjusted the triangle to the proper height, we 
begin by 

HANGING ON THE POLE. 

Jump up, and seize the pole with both hands, taking care 
to have the knuckles upwards, and the thumbs on the same 
side of the pole as the fingers. 

This is indispensable. Never grasp the horizontal bar as 
you would a broomstick, but merely hitch the fingers over 
the bar in a fish-hook style. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



19 




Watch a monkey gamboling about his bars, and see how 
he holds them. The sloth, too, merely hooks his curved 
claws o\er the branches, anil de- 
fies the gales to shake him off. 

So, imitate the sloth as well 
as you can, and curve your hand 
into a hook-like form. 

Let the body hang quite 
straight, but noc stiffly so, the 
knees straight, and the "toes rath- 
er pointed. 

After awhile, practice hanging 
by each hand alternately, letting 
the other arm hang easily by the 
side. Don't twist round, or you 
will lose your hold. 

A few blisters may be ex* 
pected at lirst, but they are 
caused almost entirely by unskill- 
ful management of the bar, and 
will soon get well again. 

THE WALK. 

Hang on the bar, and make 
alternate steps with the hands, so as to carry you from one 
end of the bar to the other. 

Do this first to one end of 
the bar, and then return 
by the same method. Be 
careful to make the move- 
ment equably, and don't 
kick the legs about. 

When you can execute 
this movement properly, 
place one hand at each side 
of the bar, and do the same 
thing. 

BREASTING THE BAR. 

Hang on the bar, 
knuckles uppermost, and 
slowly draw yourself up 
until the chest rests 
against the bar. 

Lower yourself as slow- 
ly, hang for a moment, 
and again draw yourself 
up. 

This should be practiced continually, as it is the founda- 




20 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



tion of most of the exercises, and strengthens the body and 

chest; very considerably. 

Let the legs hang quite 
still while doing it, and do 
not be content until you 
can draw yourself up 
twelve successive times 
without feeling fatigue. 

SWINGING. 

This exercise cannot be 
practiced on the triangle. 

Hang on the bar, and 
communicate a pendulum 
movement to the body, 
gradually increasing i t 
until you feel yourself in 
danger of flying off. 

This soon happens at 
first, but after practice the 
body can be swung through 
the greatest part of a cir- 
cle. 

When you are well accus- 
tomed to the swing, you 
will find that when the body has swung nearly as high as the 
pole, the hands bearbut lightly on the bar. 
So, take them off altogether, and launch yourself boldly 





into the air. An inch or two will be sufficient at first, but 
many gymnasts can spring a foot or so from the pole. 
It has a bold and dashing effect. 

THE GREAT CIRCLE. 

If the gymnast will only dare he will achieve. 

But it is a trying affair for the nerves, both of performer 
and spectators, and never fails of producing quite a sensa- 
tion. 

Swing as in the preceding exercise, and when at the full 
swing backwards, with the body at its highest elevation, put 
on all the steam, and go completely round the bar. 

There must be no half measures about this exercige 3 for 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



21 

every particle of strength will be wanted to drive the body 
round so large a circle as that which is formed by the feet as 
a circumference, and the hands on the bar as a center. 
Of course this is also impracticable on the triangle. 

KICKING THE BAR. 

Hang by the hands, and then slowly gather up the body, 

drawing up the feet until they touch the bar. 

Both feet should 
be kept together, and 
the movement per- 
formed with steadi- 
ness. 

One point to be 
observed in this ex- 
ercise is, to throw 
the weight of the 
body and head as 
much behind the 
arms as possible, so 
as to make them 
counterbalance the 
weight of the legs 
and feet. 

Do not attempt to 
jerk yourself up, or 
plunge about in the 

exertion, for you might strain yourself by so doing. 
Lower yourself slowly, and if you fail at the first few 

trials do not be discouraged. The strength and knack will 

soon come. 

RISING ON THE BAR. 

Draw yourself up to your breast, and then with a sudden 
impulse straighten the arms, so that you raise the body 
until the bar crosses it at the hips. 

It is better to throw yourself an inch from the bar 
while you make the spring, as then the friction of the bar 
against the body is no hindrance. 

This is a much more difficult feat than making the 
41 Great Circle," although it appears to be nothing at all. 
Practice it by rising with the right arm first, followed by 
the left, then vice versa, and lastly with both arms together. 

THE ROLL OVER. 

After raising yourself as in the preceding exercise change 
the position of the hands so as to bring the finger-poinis 
on the same side as the body, then lean forward and roll 
fairly over the bar, dropping lightly to your feet. 




22 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



Take notice that in all cases the toes should be kept 
pointed; and that when the gymnast comes to the ground, 
he should do so on the tips of his toes, and not on the heel 
or the sole of the foot. 

PASSING THROUGH THE ARMS. 

Hang on the bar, and curl yourself over as in Kicking. the 
Bar 

But instead of letting the feet touch the bar, pass them 
neatly under it, and continue to pass the feet on until they 
hang as in the engraving, 

Then, after hanging as long as possible, drop to the 
ground. 

After you have practiced 
this well, instead of dropping 
to the ground, re-ascend, re- 
pass the feet, and then drop. 

This is a magnificent exer- 
cise for the shoulder blades 
and the muscles of the back. 

By practice you will be able 
to let the feet hang nearly as 
low when the arms are thus 
twisted as when they are 
straight. 

SITTING ON THR BAR. — No. 1. 

Pass the feet under the bar. 
Then, instead of rolling over, 
stretch the feet quite straight 
into the air, so that you are 
in a perpendicular position, the 
heels in the air and the head 
pointing toward the ground. 
Rest a moment in this position, and then draw yourself up- 
wards by the arms until the weight of the legs and feet brings 
vou upon the bar seated. 

Take care not to overbalance yourself and come round the 
wrong way, a mistake which a beginner generally commits. 

No. 2. 

Hang on the bar and pass one foot, say the right, between 
the hands, and hitch it over the bar at the knee. Let the 
left foot hang as low as it can. 

Give a good swing backward, using the left leg as a 
weight to increase the power of the swing, and come up- 
right upon the bar. 

Now, bring the left leg over the bar, taking care not to 
overbalance yourself by so doing, and then you are eeate& 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



23 




LEAVING THE BAB. 

There are two neat modes of getting off the bar when you 
are seated upon it. 
In the first method you put your hands on the bar, with 

the finger-points for- 
ward, ' slide easily 
backward, keeping 
your knees bent, roll 
over backward and 
come on the feet neat- 
ly. 

The other plan 
resembles that adopt- 
ed on the parallel 
bars. 

Place both hands 
on the bar, either on 
the right or left side, 
the finger-pcints turn- 
ed away from the per- 
son. 

Then, with a slight spring, bring the feet over the bar and 
vault to the ground. Take care not to hitch the toes against 
the bar. 

BAR-JUMPING. 

Hang on the bar, and, by 
means of the arms, jump along 
the pole from one end to the 
other. 

This is a capital exercise, 
and should be performed with 
the knees quite straight. 

It tries the arms considerably 
at first, and the hands too. 

Practice it with the hands 
under the bar, and then with 
one hand at each side. 

CIRCLING THE BAR. 

Now for a stiff one. 

Hang on the bar, and draw 
up the body and legs as if I 
about to kick the bar. 

But, instead of kicking, or ' 
passing under it, raise the feet 
above the bar, continuing to draw yourself upwards until 
you have come quite round the bar. Do it slowly. 
letter L. 

Hang on the bar, and then raise the legs until they form a 




u 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



right angle with the body. Count fifty before you drop the 
feet. 

ROASTING-JACK. 

Put one knee over the bar, letting the other hang down, 
and hold on with the hands. 

Now, swing backwards, and give yourself such an impetus 
that you come right round the bar, and come up again as 
before. 

You should be able to spin round the bar a dozen times 
without stopping. 

When you have practiced this exercise backward, do the 
same thing forward, of course shifting the hands to the oppo- 
site side of the bar. In the forward roll it is better to sit 
nearly astride the bar, 

THE TRUSSED FOWL. 

This exercise is calculated to test the power of the grasp 
and the force of the joints, as it seems at first to have the 
effect of pulling every joint out of its place. 

Hang on the bar, draw up the feet, and put the insteps 
against the bars. 

Now push your body right through the arms, as if you were 
trying to turn yourself inside out, and after remaining in 
this attitude as long as you conveniently can, return in the 
same manner. 

THE TRUE LOVER'S KNOT. 

This is an exercise difficult to describe, and not very easy 
to do. 



Proeeed as follows: 




Grasp the bar; pass the 
left knee through the right 
arm, so as to let the knee 
rest in the elbow; pass 
the right knee over the 
instep of the left foot ; 
let go with the left hand, 
and~ with it grasp the 
right foot. 

You will now be sus- 
pended by the right hand, 
and will be packed up in 
a remarkably small space. 

Take care of the light 
wrist, or you will spin 
round and twist off. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



25 



By means of this exercise the wrist is very much strength- 
ened, and the power of the grasp increased. 
the L ROLL. 

Hang on the bar, forming the letter L. 

Now, bring the feet through the arms, as has been already 
mentioned, but keep the knees straight all the time. 

THE GRASSHOPPER, 

Sit on the bar, and hold firmly with one hand on each 
side, points of fingers to the front. 

Let yourself gradually 
slide forwards until the 
bar crosses the small of 
the back, and the elbows 
project upwards some- 
thing like the legs of a 
grasshopper. 

Then draw yourself up 
again, and assume your 
sitting position on the 
pole. 

This is about the most 
difficult exercise that has 
been mentioned, and 
tries the shoulders mar- 
velously. But it should 
be learned, for it is very 
^ , , useful. 

ft STANDING ON THE BAR. 

V r ■ v Sit astride the bar, and 

place both hand3 on the bar, just in front. 

With a sudden spring, bring both feet upon the bar, the 
feet crossing each other at the heels ; at the same time rais- 
ing the body to an upright position. 

It is not strength that is required in this exercise so much 
as a good balance and presence of mind. 

Another mode of standing on the bar is that which has 
already been mentioned in the Parallel Bars, viz., by placing 
one foot on the bar, hitching the other under it, and drawing 
up the body by the latter foot. 

HANGING BY THE LEGS. 

Sit on the bar; then suddenly slide backwards and drop, 
catching yourself by your bent knees. 

Be careful to drop quite perpendicularly, and not to com- 
municate any swing to the body, or the legs may be un- 
hitched and the gymnast come down on his nose. 

When the young gymnast can hang by both legs easily, 




26 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 




let him take one of them from the pole, and remain sus- 
pended by the other. He should not (as some teachers rec- 
ommend) catch the instep of the suspending foot with the 
knee of the other. There is quite sufficient force in the one 

knee to hold him up, and if he 
keep it tightly bent, there will 
not be the least danger of its 
unhooking. 

HANGING BY THE FEET. 

We now proceed to a more 
ambitious performance, name- 
ly, that of suspending the body 
by the feet instead of the knees. 
Hitch both insteps over the 
pole, forcing the toes upwards 
as much as possible. 

Then loosen the hands from 
the pole and let the body hang 
perpendicularly, without a jerk 
or a swing. 

To raise the body again is 
not so easy, but it can be done 
with a little practice. But the 
neatest way to leave the polewhen in this attitude is, by 
dropping to the ground on 
the hands, and so letting the 
feet come to the ground. 

HANGING FROM THE TRIANGLE. 

If you have nerve, here is 
something wherewilh to as- 
tonish the natives. 

Sit on the bar, folding your 
arms. Then throw yourself a 
regular somersault back- 
wards, as if you meant to 
throw yourself out of the 
triangle. 

But as you come over, 
spread the leg? so that the 
feet catch agninst the ropes. 
Let them slide down ,the 
ropes, and you will be held by 
your insteps at the angle 
formed by the unction of the ropes and the bar. 

I once saw a man perform this exercise in a triangle raised 
fifty feet in the air. It had a most startling effect, "for, as he 
turned over, it seemed as if he must be inevitably dashed to 
pieces. 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



27 



THE ARM CHAIR. 

Spring upon the bar, and support yourself upon the fore- 
arms, as shown m che cut. 

This is rather a trying 
exercise. 

KISSING THE BAR. 

Another difficult exercise. 
Raise yourself on the bar, 
as before mentioned, until 
the bar crosses the waist. 

Sink gradually down, un- 
til you can touch the bar 
with your lips, and then 
raise yourself again. 




THE WOODEN HORSE. 

The series of horse exer- 
cises is extremely interest- 
ing. The performers al- 
ways like the horse exer- 
cises, and bystanders seem 
to appreciate them even 
more than those on the ho- 
rizontal bar. 
There is more scope for change of attitude than on the bar, 

and the legs are exercised as much as the arms; in some of 

the feats much more so. 

CONSTRUCTION OF THE HORSE. 

The wooden horse is made of a great cylinder of wood, 
generally part of the trunk of a tree. 

It is mounted on four posts for legs, which are either driven 
firmly into the ground or fastened to a strong framework, so 
that no amount of force will push it over. 

A saddle should be placed on the back, rather nearer one 
end than the other, which saddle should be made of stout 
rough leather, and nailed firmly in its place. 

Two pommels, made of wood, and covered, if desirable, 
with leather, should also be placed on the horse, and the hind 
pommel should be rather higher than the other. 

A shallow pit, of a few inches in depth, and some four feet 
square, should be dug in the off- side of the horse, and filled 
with sawdust, on which the gymnast may alight after some 
of his lofty leaps, or into which he may chance to tumble, 
should he miss his mark. 

The paving on the near side should be of sand if practic- 
able, or very fine gravel. 



28 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

Many gymnasts like to have a spring board from wlncl: to 
leap, and I rather recommend it. 

The board should be made of several narrow boards, placed 
side by side, and firmly nailed to stronger pieces that lie 
across them. 

On the center of the board should be fixed a piece of leather 
or carpet in order to afford the feet a firm hold in jumping; 

Each end of the board must be supported on wooden 
blocks, so as to give it space for springing. If the ground 
is hollowed under it, the same result Will be attained. 

The height of the horse is regulated by that of the gynv 
nast, the top of his nose affording an accurate criterion ; for 
the top of the saddle ought just to come up to that feature* 

MOUNTING THE HORSE. 

Stand on the near side of the horse, placing one hand on 
each pommel. Then spring up, and bring the arms straight, 
so that the body is supported by the hands, while the legs 
rest lightly against the horse. 

After remaining for a few moments 
in this attitude, jump to the ground 
and up again immediately. Continue 
to practice this jumping, until it can be 
done easily, and remember always to 
come down on the toes. 

When you can jump up and down six 
or seven times successively, make a 
rather higher leap than usual, throw 
the right leg over the saddle, removing 
the right hand to let it pass, and then 
you are fairly mounted. 

Practice mounting both ways; it's 
only a wooden horse, and does not feel 
insulted even if you do mount with 
your face to his tail. 

DISMOUNTING. 

To dismount properly and neatly, 
place the left hand on the fore-pom- 
mel, and the right hand on the saddle. 

Raise yourself a little on the hands, and throw yourself off, 
coming on the ground nicely on your toes. 

SUSTAINING THE BODY. 

Spring up as in the preliminary exercise, arms stiff and 
legs straight. 

Now throw yourself a little away from the horse, and 
bring yourself back again by the arms, without suffering the 
feet to touch the ground. 

This is a useful exercise to prepare oneself for a real horse 
that starts away as it is being mounted. 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

KNEE PRACTICE. 



29 



Place both hands on the pommels, then leap up and kneel 
with the right knee on the saddle. 

Leap down, up again, and 
come with the left knee on the 
saddle. 

Afterward kneel with both 
knees, taking care not to go 
too high, as you may chance to 
topple over ignominiously. 

THE KNEE LEAP. 

But as it is possible that you 
might so err the following ex- 
' ercise will teach you how to es- 
cape the danger of a fall. 

Leap up with the knees on the 
saddle. Lean well forward, and, 
with a bold spring, clear both 
legs of the saddle and come to 
the ground. 

There is not the least difficulty 
about this exercise, although 
when it is first attempted the 
legs feel as if they were secured 
to the horse. Only daring is required, an d alter doing it 
once you will do it aftarward with perfect ease. 

; LEG THROUGH ARMS. 

Hands on saddle as 
before. Now leap up 
well and pass the right 
leg clean over the saddle 
between the arms. 

Make a slight spring 
from the arms, with* 
draw the leg and arms 
to the ground, imme- 
diately springing up 
again and passing tie 
left leg through the 
arm. 

Let the unused leg 
hang down easily, and 
keep the body upright. 
A stooping attitude has 
a most awkward effect. 





$0 



^HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 




SWINGING PRACTICE. 

Mount, but instead of seating yourself in the saddle, do so 

behind it 

Now place the 
left hand on the 
fore-pommel, and 
the right on the 
hinder, as in the 
engraving, and 
swing the body 
completely round, 
so as to seat your- 
self before the 
saddle, your face 
looking toward 
the hind pommel, 
and the feet nor, 
touching the 
ground at all. 
Then change hands and swing round again, so as to bring 

yourself into the position in which you started. 
This is very useful exercise for developing the power of 

the arms. 

KICKING THE SAD- 
DLE. 

Hands on pom- 
mels. Jump up and 
bring the toes to 
the top of the sad« 
die, as in the illus- 
tration. 

Afterwards sro a 
lHtie higher, place 
the soles of the feet 
on the saddle, let 
go the pommels, 
and come up stand- 
ing erect on the 
horse. 

ARM PRACTICE. 

Mount. Place the hands on the front pommel and raise 
the body as high as you can. There is not the least dan- 
ger of going too high. 

When you can thus suspend yourself for a short time, 
try to do so while you swing your body gently. 

Lastly, raise yourself up as before, and slap the soles of 
your feet together over the top of the saddle. 




HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



31 




CROSS PURPOSES. 

Which cannot happen accidentally. 

Mount, and, placing both hands on the front pommel, 
swing yourself as high in the air as possible, crossing your 
legs at the same time, and twisting the 
body so as to seat yourself again on the 
saddle, but looking in the opposite di- 
rection. 

Having done so, swing up again and 
resume your former position, 

A very decided swing is required here, 
or you will kick your shins with your own 
heels, which is one of the most irritating 
of occurrences. 

THROUGH THE ARMS. 

Hands on pommels. Take a good 
spring, and bring yourself completely over 
the saddle, passing through your arms 
as you do so. 

When your feet are well clear of the 
horse, give an impulsion with the arms, 
and alight on the ground neatly. 

This is very effective exercise, and does 
not require so much strength as boldness. 
If you hesitate, down you go. 

SIDE SADDLE. — No. 1. 

Stand with the right side to the saddle, hands on pommels. 
Spring np well, and throw the right leg into the saddle, lift- 
ing the left hand to 
let the leg pass, but 1 
retaining the hold of 
the other hand. 

Dismount, and in- 
stantly leap up 
again; but mount 
with the left leg, re- 
moving the right 
hand. 

Persevere in this, 
and then proceed to 
the next, which is 
more difficult, and 
requires a neater 
balance. 

No. 2. 

Hands on pommels. Leap up, and throw both feet com- 




32 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 




pletely over the body of the horse, and seat yourself behind 
the saddle, as is here shown. 

Down, and, with 
a spring, seat your- 
self in the same 
way on the front of 
the saddle. - 

Take care not to 
put on too much 
steam, or you will 
slide over the horse 
and come down in 
the sawdust; while, 
if [you do not put 
on enough, you will 
come slipping 
backwards, doub- 
led up in an absurd 
fashion. 

Do it at first with the aid of a short run, but afterwards 
with a simple jump. 

THE VAULT. 

Hands on pom- 
mels, and throw 
both legs complete- 
ly over the back of 
the horse, as in the 
cut. 

Practice the vault 
first with the feet 
to the right, then 
to the left. Indeed, 
all these exercises 
should be so prac- 
ticed, or they will 
not develop both sides of the body equalty. 

SIDE-SADDLE 
LEAP. 

Spring up as in 
Side-Saddle No. 
2, but let the legs 
pass completely 
over the horse, 
while the knees 
are kept straight, 
the body erect, 
and one hand on 
the back pommel. 





i.rn.l?^ 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 



33 




THE BACK VAULT. 

Sit behind the saddle, placing both hands on the hinder 
pommel. 

Raise the body on the hands, and with a powerful effort of 
the arms, throw yourself clear off the horse. 

THE SINGLE HAND LEAP. 

Try to leap into the saddle, while one hand only holds the 

pommels, and 
the other hangs 
quietly by the 
side. First right 
hand, and then 
left. 

THE SOMER- 
SAULT. 

Take a short 
run, put both 
hands on the 
pommels, and 
fling yourself 
faiily over, not 
loosing your 
hand of .the 

pommels, until the feet have well passed the center of the 

horse. 
Don't be afraid. If you only hold on well by the pommels, 

you must come down properly. There is no need for a vei'e 

powerful 

swing, for 

the best gym- 
nasts come 

over quite 

slowly. 

THE DOUBLE 
SOMERSAULT. 

This exer- 
cise I believe 
t o b e my 
own special 
invent ion, 
and I never 
saw any one 
who could do 

it except the inventor. .But there is no reason why_ every 
one should not learn to do it, for it merely depends on the 
exact preservation of balance. 

Go over the horse, as in the preceding paragraph, but do 




34 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

not loosen the hold of the hands when you come to the 
ground. 

Your attitude will be row rather curious, the back bent 
like a bow, the head falling backwards, and the hands over 
the head. 

Now make as powerful a spring as the legs can achieve, 
and with the arms draw yourself over the horse again, thus 
performing exactly the reverse of the forward somersault. 

There is a slight error in the engraving, for the fingers 
ought to be turned inside the saddle, and not outside it, as 
shown by the artist. 

In rolling over the saddle, the head is bent forward, or the 
nose would get a sad scrape against the back of the hors*. 



• :o:- 



PEDESTRIANISM. 

DESCRIPTION OF PEDESTRIANISM.' 
By Pedestrianism is understood, in racing parlance, the 
contest between two or more men, or between a man and 
time, in walking, running, leaping, vaulting, etc. 

In Quick Walking, which is the only kind useful in racing, 
the body is inclined forwards, and the heel touches the ground 
before the toes, which next receive the weight. As the former 
is raised from the ground by the straightening of the ankle, 
at the same time projecting forward the whole body, the 
toes come under the center of gravity and receive the weight; 
and as the body is still further pushed forward, the other leg 
swings by its fellow; and before the toes of the first are 
raised from the ground, the heel of the second reaches it. 
Hence, this is called walking " toe-and-beel." In this kind 
of walking, from 180 to 200 steps per minute aie usually 
taken, according to the distance to be walked; and in very 
short spirts, with small, quick, and active men, fully 220 
steps are the average per minute. From 6 to 6 1-4 miles per 
hour is the outside rate of walking, except in very extraor- 
dinary pedestrians, who, some years back, walked 7 miles 
per hour; and. in a match have completed 1 mile in 7 min- 
utes 13 seconds, 2 miles in 15 minutes 20 seconds, and 4 
miles in 32 minutes exactly, which, if correct, is the fastest 
time on record. There was, however, great doubt as to the 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 36 

fairness of the walking. The great art'is to keep the knees 
suppie and not too straight, and to make use of the arm as 
a balance spring, or even as a kind of fulcrum; but in this 
respecl walkers vary a great deal, some use great aclion of 
the arms, while others keep them as still as if they were 
glued to their bodies. 

Running is a different action to walking, being, in fact, a 
series of small leaps, with one foot at a time, and each alter- 
nately, whilst hopping is with one foot only. The upper part 
of the body is inclinded forwards, the head well up, and even 
a little uack, except in running ** spirts." The breast is well 
expanded, and the shoulders thrown back, with the arms 
raised, the elbows bent, the fingers clenched into the palm 
of the hand, and the whole upper extremity as rigid as pos- 
sible, in order to allow of the auxiliary muscles of respira- 
tion acting with their full force. There is a great variety in 
the use and action of the legs in different runners; most, 
however, keep their knees rather straight, and almost graze 
the ground with their feet; the tread is on the balls of the 
toes, and slightly also on the toes themselves; and the 
spring is made rapidly Irom one foot to the other, each pass- 
ing its fellow and taking its turn with great rapidity; at the 
same time there is a very slight movement of the arms in 
unison with the legs, but scarcely visible except on close in- 
spection. Good wind is as great a requisite as good legs, 
and no one should attempt a running match unless he has a 
full volume of lungs, and a sound and strong heart. The 
best time in which the various distances have been done is as 
follows: A quarter of a mile in a minute; half a mile in 2 
minutes down-hill, or 2 1-4 minutes on level ground; 1 mile 
in 4 1-2 to 5 minutes; 2 miles in rather less than 10 minutes; 
4 miles in 20 1-2 minutes; 30 miles in the hour; 15 miles in 
1 hour 35 minutes; and 20 miles in 2 hours and a quarter. 
Pedestrians have walked 1,000 miles in 1,000 successive 
hours; and lately the feat has been exceeded, by doing 1,000 
half-miles in 1,000 half-hours. 

The Conditions of walking matches are generally in writ- 
ing, specifying that the man or men shall start at the drop- 
ping of a handkerchief, or other sigual agreed upon; and 
that the walker must keep to a fair " toe-and-heel walk" — ■ 
that is to say, that either the toe of one foot or the heel of the 
other must always be in contact with the ground. An um- 
pire on each side is appointed, who follow the men closely, 
and if either exceeds the " toe-and-heel " walk by running 
(in which case there is a moment when both leet are clear of 
the ground), the umpire named by his opponent calls to him 
to turn, and he must do so or lose the match, unless the or- 
der of the one umpire is disputed by the other, in which case 



36 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

the referee, who has also been appointed by the umpires, de- 
cides between them. On being called upon to turn, the 
walker must turn completely round, and also alter his mode 
of walking, or he is again called upon to turn, and thus 
equally loses the match by the necessity for constant turn- 
ing. The distance and ground to be walked over are also 
fixed by the articles. 

In Running Matches there is no necessity for conditions, 
except to specify the ground and the distance, as well as to 
name the umpires. &c. 

Leaping is effected by a sudden contraction of the legs, 
followed by a still more sudden and jerking extension of all 
the joints, by which the body is projected into the air clear 
of the ground. It may be either from a standing position or 
will) a run, and both may be over a height or across a width. 
Vaulting is leaping with the assistance of the bands, and in 
addition sometimes the aid of a pole is called in, termed 
"the leaping-pole." In all leaps, besides those of the lower 
limbs, the whole of the muscles of the body are violently in 
action, and especially those of the abdomen and back. 

In the Standing-leap over a Height the legs are brought 
close together, the knees are considerably bent, the hips are 
thrown back and the shoulders forward, with the head well 
up. The arms are slightly and slowly swung backwards and 
forwards, the body sinks till the calves touch the back of the 
thighs, and then by a rapid extension of all parts in unison 
wi f h the swing of the arms, the body is projected over the 
height to be cleared, and descends upon the toes and ball of 
the fcot, with the legs bent, in order to form a spring to 
break the fall. In this way some men can clear the height 
of their waists. 

The Standing-leap over a Width is effected in the same 
way, but with less contraction of the limbs, and more swing- 
ing of the arms. The greatest 1 have ever known thus 
cleared was 14 feet. 

The Running Leap over a Height requires a start of 
about 9 to 12 paces, The take-off should be at the distance 
of half the Leight of the object to be cleared, and the legs 
should be well drawn up in front of the belly during the 
spring. In this way, and by a trick of throwing the legs 
into a horizontal position, some men can clear an object 
higher than their heads. With the aid of a spring-board and 
a descending run three times this height has been sur- 
mounted. 

The Running Leap over a Width will be better managed 
with a run of about twenty paces, and the steps should be 
very quick and short, increasing in these points up to the 
moment of springing, which is from the very edge of the 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 37 

Space to be cleared. The jumper comes down either upon 
his heels in a very wide leap, or upon his toes in one where 
his whole powers are not exercised. On level ground 21 1-2 
feet have been cleared to my knowledge, and 22 feet are said 
to have been done. 

Hop, Step, and Jump, is a very common kind of contest in 
leaping, 'and is conducted as follows:—" A starting point " is 
marked off, then, 10 yards further, another, called "the 
spring." The players are ranged in jine on the first, and 
must run to and start from the second, when the one who 
can cover the most ground by one long hop, one long step, 
and a similar jump is the winner. 

Vaulting is effected by leaping with the aid of the hands, 
from a standing position or a very slow run or walk. The 
vaulter stands in front of the gate or bar and springs up- 
wards, placing his hand on the top; in this way he swings 
his body over, lifting it by a muscular effort of the arm and 
shoulder still higher than the legs alone would carry it, and 
then guiding it by the aid of the arms it is dropped gently on 
the feet beyond the gate. Sometimes the vaulter throws the 
body obliquely over the gate, using one hand and arm only, 
and sometimes through both arms. By vaulting a man can 
easily clear his own height, and often considerably more. 

The Leaping Pole hi either of fir or bamboo, about two, 
three, or even five feet higher than the height of the party 
using it, and becoming stronger towards the bottom. When 
used for leaping wide ditches, a pole with a flat disk of sev- 
eral inches diameter at the bottom is of great use in pre- 
venting its sinking into the mud, and in peaty bottoms often 
savo-s a ducking. The pole is thus used: The right hand is 
placed at the height of the head, and the left on a level with 
the hips; then grasping it firmly, it is dropped into the 
ditch till it touches the bottom, when making a spring with 
the left foot the weight is carried upon the arms, and de- 
scribes a segment of a circle, the center of which is at the 
end of the pole fn the ditch. In thus swinging over, the 
body passes the pole, and from facing the side to which it 
springs, it changes to facing that from which it sprung. The 
leap should be made the moment the pole touches the bot- 
tom, and too much weight should not be carried upon it. 
The learner should begin by clearing small ditches, gradual- 
ly increasing their width, and when expert in these, try 
wider ones until he cannot proceed further without a run; 
then venturing upon a few yards 1 preparatory run, which 
will give additional power in clearing space; and finally 
adopting a good quick run of about six, eight or ten yards, 
gradually taking hold of the pole higher and higher as he in- 
creases the width of his jump. 



&8 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST 

In leaping over high objects it is only necessary to fix the 
attention upon the gate or bar to be cleared, and endeavor 
to surmount it by an eflbrt of the legs; at the same time 
raising the weight by the arms on the pole while in the air, 
and reversing the position as in jumping over a ditch. At 
firs", there is some difficulty in managing the pole over the 
object, but to effect this, the leaper at the time of crossing 
the bar, and just when he is beginning to descend, must 
draw the pole upwards and raise the lower part with his one 
hand while he depresses the upper pan with the other; by 
which action the pole is tilted over in unison with the body, 
and the small end reaches the ground first. When the leap is 
to be a very high one indeed, the leaper leaves his pole on 
the taking offside, quitting hold of it as soon as it touches 
the bar, or rather just before that time. 



TRAINING FOR PEDESTRIANISM AND OTHER 
PURPOSES. 

Sect. 1. --Preparatory Treatment. 

General Remarks.— ft is an indisputable fact that no 
animal is so much improved by training as m&n — none stands 
such long and severe preparation with advantage — and none 
displays the difference netween condition and its absence in 
so great a degree. Next to him in this respect stands the 
thorough-brea horse, which certainly displays these attri- 
butes almost to the same extent; but still the advantage is 
in favor of man, who can sustain without injury repeated 
trials of his powers to their utmost limits — whilst even the 
thorough-bred horse requires the greatest care, lest by con- 
tinual and constant work his speed, and what is still worse, 
his temper, should be ruined. But it is not only that man 
may be enabled to do certain feats of activity and strength 
that training is desirable, but that he may do them with 
pleasure to himself, and even with advantage to his general 
health; and this marks the grand principle which every man 
who values health should constantly keep in view, namely, 
that no one should attempt to compete in any contest re- 
quiring agility or strength, unless he has had such a prepa- 
ration as shall enable him to perform his task without feel- 
ing any ill effect from it. 

For instance, the man in condition can row through a race 
of three or four miles, in which his whole powers are taxed 
to their very utmost, and shall, at the end of it, be almost 
blind from the exertions he has made; and yet before he gets 
out cf the boat he is *' all right," and could go through the 
same in half an hour without injury— whilst the man out of 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 39 

condition lies nearly fainting, or perhaps quite insensible, 
for many minutes, or even still longer, and is only revived by 
stimuli to an extent which will not allow any further liberty 
to be taken with his naturally strong constitution. Pluck 
will do much in place of condition; but numberless are the 
instances of ruined health from the excessive drafts which 
have been mode upon this valuable quality, whilst a little 
care and abstinence would have prevented any such irrepar- 
able misfortune. To enable a man who is of sound constitu- 
tion — but, from mismanagement, out of health — to restore 
himself to such a state as will allow him to go into traiuing 
without mischief, is rather a difficult task in most cases, be- 
cause it not only requires some skill to know what to do, but 
also great self-command to avoid that which ought not to be 
done. In the vast majority of instances the health has been 
impaired by excess of some kind, and in many by every 
variety of excess which human ingenuity can suggest. 

Butit is wonderful how completely the anticipation of an 
Oxford and Cambridge match at Putney, a pedestrian match, 
or any similar coufest, will enable a "fast man " to throw all 
temptation on one side and to adhere to all the rules laid 
down for his guidance with the ridity of an anchorite. His 
reply to all tempting offers is, "No, that is bad trair)ing. ,, 
Such is not always the case, it is true; but to a great extent, 
and more pluck is frequently shown in abstaining from temp- 
tation than in sustaining the prolonged efforts which such a 
race demands. There are two kinds of excess in eating, 
drinking, etc., and excess in literary and other sedentary 
pursuits. Either will for a time upset the powers of the 
stomach, and in fact of the whole system, and each will re- 
quire very different treatment in order to restore those pow- 
ers. These conditions will also vary very much according to 
the rank in life, habits aud natural constitution of the individ- 
ual. For instance, a gentleman's son, having been gener- 
ously brought up, goes to the university and indulges to ex- 
cess, in wine, smoking, etc., all the while taking strong exer- 
cise. For a time his naturally strong constitution enables 
him to withstand the attacks of the poisonous doses of wine 
and tobacco which he is taking, but soon his hand begins to 
shake, his appetite for solid food ceases, his eyes become 
red, his sleep is restless and unrefreshiug, aud he is threat- 
ened with an attack of delirium tremens. 

Now, if in such a state as this an attempt is made to go 
suddenly into training, the consequence is, either that the 
above disease makes its appearance at once, or, in milder 
cases, that the stomach refuses to do its duty, and the prescrib- 
ed work cannot be performed, from giddiness, faintness, sick- 
ness or headache. By a little care and time, however, this 



40 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

state of things may be removed. But suppose tbe case of a 
young man in a lower rank, who has been brought up on a 
spare and rigidly abstemious fare, and who from circum- 
stances is suddenly allowed to indulge in all the temptations 
of the public-house; he has no other resource— no hunting or 
cricket to take up his attention — no lectures to attend, and 
the consequence is that beer and tobacco commence the day, 
and tobacco and spirits wind it up. Such a man suddenly 
finds all his energies going, his mind dull and enfeebled, his 
body weak, flabby and bloated; in a happy moment he be- 
thinks himself that he will take to boating, or some other 
amusement which he has formerly perhaps been addicted to, 
and at once proceeds to the river or the road. Well, what 
is the consequence? Why, instead of feeling the better for 
the exertion he is completely knocked up, and perhaps per- 
manently discouraged and deterred from any further trial; in 
fact he requires a much more careful treatment to get him 
into a state of health lit for such an exertion than the Oxon- 
ian or the Cantab, because the change from his former habits 
has been greater, because the imbibition of beer and spirits 
has been more uninterrupted, because the rooms he has fre- 
quented have been les3 perfectly ventilated, and because he 
has taken little or no exercise. 

Indeed, it is astonishing what quantities of intoxicating 
drinks may be imbibed without much injury, provided that 
a corresponding amount of exercise is regularly taken. I 
have my myself known young men take from one to two gal- 
lons a day of strong ale for many months, besides occasion- 
al bottles of wine, &c, without any great injury. One of the 
most plucky oarsmen I ever knew regularly swallowed the 
above quantity, and still pursues the same course, apparent- 
ly uninjured by it. This gentleman, however, is always walk- 
ing or riding; and is also by nature of an iron constitution. 
But a far more difficult task lies before the reading man, who 
has been devoting 12 to 18 hours a day to a preparation for 
honors; and who, finding his health giving away, determines 
upon going in for honors of another kind. Here the nervous 
system has been overtaxed, aided by green tea, wet cloths 
round the head, and perhaps a liberal supply of tobacco; the 
consequence is that the neglected muscular system is unfit 
for exertion, and the limbs become stiff and cramped on the 
slightest effort. This state of thing? requires many weeks, or 
even months to restore the system to a state fit for under- 
taking any severe work, because the muscles are wanting in 
solid material, and the nervous system is so irritable as to 
be totally incompetent to stimulate them with that stead- 
iness and regularity which is essential to success. 

The same state of things often occurs in the counting- 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 41 

house. A young man is confined for ten or twelve hours a 
day to the desk and ledger; he has no time for exercise, 
and his nervous sysiem is over-stimulated by incessant cal- 
culation, and also by the constant view of the white paper 
spread before his eyes; he gets the "ledger fever, " and 
many a young man is rendered by it utterly incompetent to 
continue this kind of drudgery. Some relieve this unnatural 
condition by early rising and pedestrianism, or horse and 
rowing exercise. This plan, if carefully entered upon, is of 
great service; but it requires some caution at first, and is 
almost wholly useless if persevered in without those essen- 
tials which I shall endeavor to point out. 

Treatment of the Free Liver of Active Habits.-— I 
have already observed that the free liver who has usually 
taken a due amount of exercise, has a comparatively easy 
task, if he only has the power to command himself and to 
check those practices which he has been indulging in. But 
let this be done with due caution. Many is the man who has 
been driven to delirium tremens by suddenly leaving off all 
stimuli. The best plan is to substitute ammonia in some 
shape for a part of the accustomed alcohol, and fortius pur- 
pose to take the following draught once or twice a day, or 
oftener if that dreadful linking sensation comes on which is 
go distressing to those who have indulged to excess in wine 
or tobacco: Take of aromatic confection ten grains, sal 
volatile one drachm, bicarbonate of soda five grains, tincture 
of gentian one drachm, water one ounce — mix. 

The quantity of beer, wine, or spirits should be diminished 
one half every two or three days, until brought down to the 
allowance to be hereafter fixed for training purposes; 
tobacco should be totally eschewed. I have invariably found 
that totai abstinence from smoking is easier than temper- 
ance. There is not the same danger in leaving it off as is 
the case with wine, spirits, or beer, in fact there is no 
danger whatever in so doing; whilst in alcoholic drinks the 
reverse is the case. My advice, therefore, is in all cases 
where the constitution has been impaired by smoking and 
drinking, to give up the former at once and entirely, but to 
be very careful in gradually leaving off the latter. With 
regard to the kind of stimulus which should be adopted, 
much must depend upon the previous habits. In most 
cases, when the stomach is not much upset, malt liquor 
will suffice; and, if sound and unadulterated, is the most 
wholesome beverage; but in many cases it will not do to 
leave off suddenly wine and spirits, and adhere to malt 
alone. In such cases an occasional glass of brandy and 
water, or claret must be allowed. The latter, where it 



42 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST, ^ v 

agrees, is an excellent wine for the purpose of gradually 
lowering the stimulus. 

No wine suits the nervous system better, and, if mixed 
with soda-water, it may be drunk to a considerable extent 
by those who have accustomed themselves to a stronger 
stimulus. When the stomach is very much disordered, it 
may be mulled and taken warm. It is not good while in 
training, but as a preparative for that process it is exceed- 
ingly valuable. Those who have been smoking and drink- 
ing to excess, have stimulated their kidneys and skin to 
secrete a greater quantity than is natural to those organs. 
This is an effort of nature to get rid of the poison which has 
been absorbed into the system, but the effect does not im- 
mediately cease on the removal of the cause. Hence the 
thirst continues, and some liquid must be given to quench 
it. It is for this purpose that I advise claret and soda- 
water to those who can afford it; or to those whose pockets 
will not allow this luxury, porter or bitter beer mixed with 
soda water in equal proportions. Great care must be taken 
in all these cases in the exhibition of purgatives. No free 
liver is able to bear strong aperient medicine without some 
injury to the system, and although very commonly given, it 
is a practice which ought to be very cautiously- adopted. If 
the liver is acting well (which may be known by the yellow 
or brown color of the faces), a simple black draught may 
be taken, consisting of half an ounce of sweet essence of 
senna, with a small tea-spoonful of salts dissolved in an 
ounce of warm water; or one or two compound rhubarb 
pills may be taken at night. 

If, on the contrary, the motions are of a clay color, 5 
grains of blue pill should be taken at night, followed by the 
above draught in the morning. Should the bowels be re- 
laxed, and inclined to act more than once a day a wine- 
glassful of decoction of bark, with a teaspoonful of the com- 
pound tincture of bark should be taken two or three 
times a day. If very loose, 20 or 25 drops of laudanum may 
be adced to each dose; and if very watery, with griping 
pains 25 to 30 drops of diluted sulphuric acid may also be 
given with it. This will almost always check the diarrhoea, 
and is also useful in giving tone to the stomach and produc- 
ing an appetite; but if more severe remedies are required, 
the aid of a medical man should be sought for at once. Dur- 
ing, the time in which this plan of proceeding is bnving its 
effect, it is of the greatest consequence that the mind should 
be occupied, or rather amused, in some way. This point 
cannot be too much insisted on, for upon it deppnds in great 
measure whether the attempt to restore health to the body 
shall be successful or the reverse. Thereis no point more 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 43 

Deflected, both in the preparation for training and in the 
actual period of severe work, than this, and yet it is really 
the one which ought most to be inculcated. In the first 
place, bodily exercise without amusement is mere drudgery; 
it tires, but does not lead to a restoration of power; whilst 
if given with some mental excitement, the fatigue is scarcely 
felt, and what little is experienced is speedily followed by a 
reaction which asks for more work of a similar character and 
tendency- 
Let any one contrast the effects of a walk or ride, without 
object or companion, with either the one or the other when 
taken for the purpose of making a call, or any other specific 
object, especially in company of an amusing companion. 
From the former (called a " constitutional" because it does 
not benefit the constitution), he has returned jaded and out 
of spirits, whilst from the latter he has experienced an amouut 
of exhilaration varying of course with the nature of the ob- 
ject and the agreeability of his companion. JNothing con- 
duces more to a successful prosecution of this plan of self- 
treatment than the mutual agreement of two persons whose 
object is the same, to assist one another by their example. 
Let two persons agree in earnest to restrain one another 
when tempted, and also to amuse one another by sparring, 
or fencing, or riding, or walking together — or, indeed, any 
kind of gymnastic exercise. This will aid the purpose of 
both, as far as the restoration of health is concerned, and 
they will also find it much more easy to " put the stopper" 
upon each other than upon themselves. Even if they are not 
both going into the same kind of training, the preparation 
for all kinds is the same, the grand object in all cases being 
to leave oft injurious food and drinks, to avoid smoking and 
venery, and to take sufficient exercise, conjoined with amuse- 
ment, to tire without prostrating the muscular system. 

During this period the diet should be plain, but varied. 
Roast beef and mutton, or chops and steaks, with any veget- 
ables that agree with the individual, may b« indulged in. 
Poultry, game, and fish, are not injurious; and even pastry, 
if good and plain, will do no harm whatever. It i3 better to 
pul: oft the period of rigid dieting to the actual time of train- 
ing, as the stomach will seldom bear it for any length of time. 
In the present day, it is scarcely necessary to inculcate the 
free use of cold water every morning. It is not desirable to 
bathe during this time, though in warm weather a mere 
plunge into a river, or, better still, the sea, is very service- 
able; but at all seasons the whole body should be sponged 
every morning, using in very cold weather water at the 
temperature of 60 or Qo degrees of Fahrenheit. The body 
should be well rubbed with a wet cloth, until a glow ia 



44 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. , 

produced; and the aid of an assistant is here very bene- 
ficial. If re-action is speedily produced, a calico shirt may 
be worn; but if otherwise, flannel in the winter should be 
put on under the shirt. This, however, is seldom necessary, 
since those who are so delicate as to require it are seldom 
tit to go into training. Such is the comparatively easy task 
of those who have continued to take strong exercise, con- 
comitantly with their free indulgence in wine, tobacco, and 
all their little et cseteras. 

The Treatment of Indolent, Free Livers, who have in* 
dulged themselves in the same way, whilst at the same time 
their bodies have been wholly idle, or they have only gone to 
the limits demanded by the necessity of seeking" for the 
gratification of their appetites, is much more difficult. In 
such a case very strong control is required, and unfortunate- 
ly it is in such persons generally absent, Few young men 
indulge themselves in this way unless they are of a weak and 
yielding nature, easily led away by importunity, and unable 
to resist temptation. Many men of strong mental and bod- 
ily power have been led into a course of dissipation; in fact, 
they have not been led, but in the impetuosity of their tem- 
peraments have rushed into it. These natures have only to 
resolve and the thing is done. But far different is it with 
the man of perhaps herculean body, but weak and vacillating 
mind. He, alas! resolves and breaks his resolution forty 
times a day, and is at once an object of pity and contempt. 
Such a man may be restrained by a master mind, but rarely 
has he the power to control himself. 

The sight of a public house is too much for him, and he 
cannot, resist the temptation it presents. But though, if 
taken in hand by another, he may be made use of for a time, 
he is rarely worth the trouble he gives, as the slightest want 
of vigilance leads to an outbreak which upsets ail the good 
effects of the previous careful supervision. The great difficulty 
here is to find amusement for the body and mind — the habits 
of intemperance and idleness have led to a dislike of all ex- 
ercise, or rather, perhaps, in many cases the natural indoi-. 
ence of body and mind has led to habits of intemperance, 
If, however, it is desired to effect the change by means of 
this supervision, it must be as gradual as in the former case 
with regard to diet, and much more gradual and careful with 
reference to the kind and amount of exercise. It sometimes 
happens that a good-natured and easy tempered man has 
given himself up to excesses and idleness,and yet being a good 
oarsman his services are demanded for his college or univer- 
sity boat. Here some trouble may be spent in restoring him ; 
but such a case is the only one in which it will be repaid, 
and even then it is a hazardous experiment; the only plan 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 45 

is to hand the poor fellow over to some one person, who is 
likely to exercise a firm, yet quiet control over liim; and to 
inculcate over this person the necessity of carefully watching 
hia pi'otege at all hours of the day and night. 

He should walk, ride, etc., with him; beginning by short 
distances and gradually increasing them. Let him by all 
means take him to ball matches, coursing meetings, races, 
etc., or any kind of out-door sport which is most likely to 
occupy his attention, and at the same time to keep his body 
gently exercised without exhaustion; then get him home, and 
after a moderate diuner, and a game at billiards, chess, or 
cards, for an hour or two, if possible let him be persuaded to 
go to bed. Here it is not desirable that the hours of bed should 
be shortened; let him lie till nine or ten in the morning, be- 
cause he will from his previous habits require longer rest than 
the average time, and because there is already great difficul- 
ty in occupying the hours of the day, so as to keep him 
out of temptation. In this manner these two classes of men 
may be restored to health, or at least to such a state as will 
fit them to undertake the severe work and strict dieting 
which training for such a match will require. Both are like- 
ly to be considerably stouter and heavier than the weight at 
which they will be best able to exert their powers; but this is 
not always the case, as it sometimes happens that the man 
who has been indulging to excess in every kind of tempta- 
tion has lost weight to a considerable extent, and regains it 
on submitting to the loss of those stimulants which have up- 
set his stomach. 

The Over-studious Man. — Before proceeding to the 
treatment of the over-studious, let me earnestly remind those 
who are desirous of excelling in literary pursuits, that with- 
out bodily health the mind is unfitted for exertion in acquir- 
ing knowledge. It is true thai many men who have already 
stored their brains with facts, are enabled, even after be- 
coming complete valetudinarians, to impart knowledge to 
others; but no one can grapple with difficulties for himself 
while in that state; much time is often lost, and strength 
squandered, through over anxiety in reading; but I am fully 
and firmly convinced that if eight, or, at most, ten hours a 
day are well employed — that is to say, if any man really 
works hard during that time -he will have done all of which 
his mental powers are capable. This will leave him seven 
or eight hours for sleep, and six or seven for meals, exercise, 
etc. Few men, however, of ardent temperaments and stu- 
dious habits are capable of thus portioning their time; but 
they may depend upon the fact that, beyond the hours that I 
have named, they will gain nothing by poring over mathe- 
matical problems or classical authorities. If this advice were 



46 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

acted up to, there would be no occasion for the directions I 
am about to give; but, from the constitution of the human 
mind, it is not likely to be followed in many cases. 

It is needless for me to remark, that in a mind upset by 
literary study or mercantile accounts, the best plan, if prac- 
ticable, is to give up reading and writing entirely, for a time; 
but this is seldom to be effected; and if not, all that can be 
done is to improve the health of the body as much as possible 
whilst the strain upon the mind continues. In the case of a 
man who can arrange his owu hours of study, and has only a 
certain object to effect by a given time, I should strongly 
recommend him in no case to exceed eight hours a-day, and, 
if possible, not more than six. This will leave him ample 
time for the prosecution of any bodily training which he may 
require; and if the health lias not been much impaired, and 
the constitution is naturally strong, he will find that in pro- 
portion as he is able to increase the amount of bodily exer- 
cise, so will his mental powers recover their tone. But to 
proceed to details. Few reading men determine upon pre- 
paring for a course of training until they are a good deal up- 
set by confinement, and in them some little care i3 necessary. 
First and foremost, I should insist upon their giving up 
smoking, green tea, and^ coffee, except at meals. 

There should be no over-stimulation of the brain; but 
what work is done should be done without any unnatural 
stimulus. It will be found a very good plan to ba\e two 
reading-desks — one of a height for sitting to, and the other 
adapted for standing. Then, when drowsy or unable to fix 
the attention to the sitting desk, let the change be mace to 
a standing position; and in this way the necessity for green 
tea, or wet cloths to the head, may be avoided. Next, I 
should advise that the hours of study should be divided into 
two equal periods— the first commencing immediately after 
breakfast, and the second immediately after tea. In this 
way all the middle of the day may be given up to recreation, 
dinner and exercise: and the following hours are those which 
I should lay down as the most proper, though of course they 
may be slightly varied to suit particular circumstances: 
Breakfast, at 8: reading, 8.30 to 12.30; light lunch, on bis- 
cuit or sandwich, and glass of bitter beer, or sherry and 
water; exercise, irom 12.30 to 4.30; dinner at 4.30; revaxa- 
tion of body and mind till 6.30, when take a cup or tw o of 
coffee or black tea; then read for two, three or four hours, 
according to circumstances. Then go to bed. When first 
these hours are adopted the exercise must be very gentle, 
and of an amusing character: if on horseback, so much the 
better, though this kind of exercise is not sufficient for the 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 47 

purpose of training, except as a preparation for walking or 
running. 

Many men are enabled to indulge in a nap after dinner 
with advantage to themselves; but generally speaking it is 
prejudicial. If, however, the mouth feels moist on waking, 
and there is no palpitation of the heart or flatulence, I am 
strongly of opinion it does good rather than harm. It is the 
natural instinct of nil animals to sleep after eating, and cer- 
tainly it is that of man. The reason why sleep after dinner 
is said to disagree with everybody is that it is so often inter- 
rupted that it seldom has fair nlay. Now disturbed sleep 
we know to be prejudicial at any hour, and if it cannot be 
obtained without much chance of interruption it is better to 
avoid it altogether. If, however, an hour, or rather more, 
can be devoted to a nap, aDd it is found to agree with the 
individual trying it, the mind will be refreshed as well as the 
body, and after a cup of tea or coffee the studies may be 
prosecuted with renewed vigor. Thus I have shown how the 
studious man can devote sufficient time for the purposes of 
preserving or restoring his bodily health, and, as we shall 
hereafter see, enough also to allow him to go into training 
for any ordinary competition in rowing or pedestrian ex- 
ercise. Now with regard to the counting-house clerk. 
Here the hours are fixed, and all that can be done must 
be done before 9 or 9:30 a. m, or, in the summer sea- 
son, after office' hours; nevertheless, men have trained 
themselves in spite of these difficulties, but it is arduous 
and up-hill work. In the winter season there is no light be- 
fore eight o'clock, and consequently it is quite out of the 
question to attempt anything in the way of regular training. 
Health, however, may be preserved and reparations made 
for training during the summer. 

For this purpose, the best course to pursue is to arrange 
so that it shall be positively necessary to walk backwards 
and forwards to the counting-house night and morning. This 
is much better than attempting a walk without any special 
object, for in our climate the obstacles offered by the weather 
are so numerous that it would be postponed three or four 
times a week; but when it must be undertaken through all 
weathers, the benefit to health is fully attained, and the 
Americaan's privilege to grumble is also gratified. Thus, 
by devoting only one hour, night and morning, to a four- 
mile walk to the house of business, sufficient bodily exercise 
may be obtained to keep the health tolerably good during 
this season; and in the summer it is possible to extend the 
walk, or even, by very early rising, to go into actual training 
for any particular exertion. Wnilst discussing this subject I 
would strongly impress upon all those who have the manage- 



48 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

merit of those establishments where young men are collected 
for the purposes of trade, that it is very important that some 
set time should be fixed for their meals. It is, I believe, the 
custom for one-third, or one-half, of the young men engaged 
to dine first, and then, as soon as they have hastily swallowed 
their meal, for the next division to take their places. This 
plan is supposed to be very advantageous to tne* proprietors; 
yet even of this fact I am very doubtful; but to the assist- 
ants it is exceedingly injurious. 

In many cases, ten hours a day (in some few even a longer 
period) are given up to work, interrupted only by the 
scramble for a meal. This is more than the human frame 
is calculated to bear; even the farm laborer, or the " factory 
hand," is allowed his breakfast and dinner-hour; after which 
he returns to his work, having laid in a fresh stock of nerv- 
ous excitability. Tie consequence of the long strain upon 
the mind and animal spirits is, that at times they are over- 
powered, and that errors occur that do more harm to the 
parties interested than is counterbalanced by the apparent 
saving of time. The above directions are suited to those 
cases only in which the state of health is still such as to al- 
low of a prosecution of the usual studies or employment. 
But there are numerous instances in which the mind and 
body amboth totally upset,;andin which it is not only prudent, 
but imperatively necessary to give up all attention to busi- 
ness. These are somewhat beyond my province, for in such 
cases the aid of a medical man must always be required, and 
his counsels ought to be implicitly followed. They also rare- 
ly occur unattended by such a disordered state of stomach as 
to require the use of medicine and diet; and, moreover, such 
cases are tnose in which the moral control and superintend- 
ence of a judicial medical man are demanded. There may be 
some few in which change of air and scene, agreeable so- 
ciety, moderate exercise, etc., would be quite enough; but it 
is impossible to draw the line in such a way as to be useful, 
and, therefore, my advice would be such as I have given 
above. 



Sect. 2. — Actual Training.— General Management and 
diet. 
Training for Walking. — Whether the object is to compete 
in running or walking, a li^ht run before breakfast for half 
an hour will just empty the small intestines of their last 
meal, and prepare the stomach for breakfast; more than half 
an hour, however, I am confident, is too long to wait, espec- 
ially if, as ought always to be the case, the supper has been 
a mere apology for that meal. For an hour after breakfast 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 49 

— that is, till near 11 o'clock the pedestrian should amuse him- 
self as he likes best, with billiards or any other game; but at 
11 he should be ready dressed in his walking costume, which 
should be of flannel throughout. For shoes there is nothing 
like dogskin upper-leathers, and a moderately thick sole for 
walking, or a much thinner one for running. From 11 till 2, 
or half-past 2, his first walk should be kept up without stop- 
ping for a moment — that is to say, after the first week, dur- 
ing which time he has been gradually increasing the time from 
an hour and a half to the above lengthened period, in any 
case the pedestrian should be accompanied by his trainer, 
who should amuse him as much as possible by anecdote or 
other mode of conversation. After dinner, one or two hours 
should be allotted to rest, in the recumbent position on a 
hard mattress, or horse-hair sofa; after which the same dis- 
tance should be gone over, or nearly so. It should be borne 
in mind, that according to the intention of the pedestrian 
must be the distance over which he is trained; thus, if he is 
only preparing for a short race, either running or walking, 
he need only get himself into g;ood health, and keep in that 
state by the means I have already described ; and, in ad- 
dition, take two or three hours walking and running exer- 
cise per day. 

More than this has a tendency to diminish the speed, 
though, if the intention is to train for a long distance, that 
quality must, to a certain extent, be sacrificed. There is no 
question that speed is, to a certain extent, lost, if the work 
is kept up more than three or four hours a day — that is to 
say, speed for 100 or 200 yards. But if the object is to at- 
tain the highest speed for ten or fifteen miles, then the pow- 
ers of endurance are to be tested; and the training must be 
not so much at a top speed for that distance, as at a less 
pace with occasional spirts for five miles farther at the 
least. The trainer should be a good walker himself, and 
should draw out the powers of his pupil by walkiug against 
him, taking care not to dishearten him, even if he has the 
power, by walking ahead; but just stimulating him by com- 
petition, and yet keeping up his spirits by allowing him to 
beat him in the amicable contest. Everything in many 
cases depends upon mental treatment, and many races are 
lost by the anxiety which is felt for many days and nights 
prior to the day of trial. In other animals there is not this 
knowledge of what is to come; but this is the worst diffi- 
culty met with in training men, many of whom will lie 
awaKe night after night from a nervousness as to the result. 
Hence the trainer should by all means encourage his man, 
and endeavor to do away this fear of losing by inspiring 
confidence in his powers on all occasions. 



50 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

Training for Running is conducted on similar principles 
to that for walking, except that it is necessary to avoid too 
much running work in short matches. Here walking must 
be made the means of improving the general health, and 
running only adopted for about the length which is to be ran. 
Beyond this, long-continued running makes a man slow, and 
he is apt to get his hands down, a habit which is fatal torun- 
ning sprints. The trainer will, in preparing his man for 
these short matches, make him run daily two or three times 
over the distance intended; and either run against him with 
a start of a few yards in advance, which gives confidence, or 
time him exactly, keeping the result to himself. When the 
distance is a longer one, it must be done once or twice every 
day, according to its length, at a good speed, and with ail 
the encouragement and excitement of competition with the 
trainer. In all cases of training for long distances, at least 
five or six hours a day must be spent in walking and run- 
ning, changing from one to the other as a relief during the 
early part of training; but at last going a little beyond the 
racing distance every day, unless that is the very outside of 
which the man is deemed to be capable, when he will be over- 
worked if he attempts it every day, and he must only do just 
as much as his trainer thinks he can perform without this in- 
jurious effect. Man, however, bears severe work in a won- 
derful manner; and if the appetite continues good and the 
sleep is sound, without dreaming or starting, the trainer need 
not be apprehensive that his man is doing too much. 

Reduction of Fat. — It will, I think, generally be advis- 
able, before commencing strict training, to take an ordinary 
dose of aperient medicine. This may be either castor oil or 
Epsom salts and senna, commonly known as black draught 
or the compound rhubarb pills will answer very well in some 
persons. If the liver is torpid (which may be known by the 
pale color of the motions), then five grains of blue pill should 
be taken at night, and the oil or draught in the morning, 
and the same should be repeated every two or three days 
till the color becomes of a good brown or yellow. For any 
other purpose aperient medicine is to be avoided, and it will 
generally be found that beyond the first dose, which I think 
good as clearing off all undigested food, it will seldom be 
wanted. Some men have such an abundance of fat that 
they weigh 2 or even 3 st. more than they ought to do. The 
consequence is that not only is all that weight a dead loss, 
but the fat itself actually interferes with the due action of the 
muscles, and especially of the heart. Two modes of sweating 
may be adopted— one natural, the other artificial; but either 
should be used the first thing in the morning, rising from 
bed a little earlier for the express purpose. 
Natural Sweating is managed by putting on extra cloth- 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 51 

ng over those parts more particularly which are loaded with 
fat. Thus, if the legs are very fat, two or three pair of 
trousers should be drawn on; if the abdomen is full, then a 
double apron of flannel should be suspended from the neck 
under the trousers; and if the arms and neck are loaued, 
one, two, or three thick Jerseys may be pulled on, and a 
woollen shawl wrapped round the neck. When thus clothed, 
a brisk walk, or slow run of a few miles, bring on a profuse 
perspiration, which may be kept up for an hour or so, either 
by being covered up with horse-rugs or a feather-bed, or by 
lying in front of a good tire. At the expiration of this time 
the whole of the clothes should be stripped off, beginning 
with the upper part of the body, and sponging each limb 
with hot salt and water before drying it with a coarse towel, 
after which Dinneford's gloves should be used freely, and the 
dressing may be as usual, taking care to expose each limb 
as short a time as possible. Such is the natural mode. 

Artificial Sweating consists in the p A an first proposed 
by Priestnitz, and since then so much used in this country 
by other practitioners. It is as follows: — The whole boJy 
should be stripped and immediately wrapped in a sheet 
wrung out of cold water, but not so as to get rid of ail the 
water. Then, rolling che patient in a thick blanket, and 
including the arms like a mummy, he is to be placed be- 
neath a feather bed, covering all up to the chin. In a 
quarter of an hour, or rather more, reaction comes on; and 
a most profuse perspiration breaks out over the face, and, in 
fact, over the whole body. Among the hydropathists it is 
usual to supply the patient liberally with cold water, by 
small draughts at a time, during the sweat; but for our 
purpose this is not desirable, because it causes too great an 
action on the kidneys, thereby weakening the frame consid- 
erably. When this sweating has continued from an hour 
to an hour and a half, everything should be taken off, and 
cold water poured over the whole body, either by means of a 
shower-bath or common watering pot; then rub dry and 
clothe. 

This artificial mode of sweating is not so likely to give cold 
as the natural one, and it does not exhaust and tire the frame 
nearly so much. It also produces great buoyancy of spirits, 
and it may be graduated much more exactly. It has, how- 
ever, the disadvantage of producing liability to boils, which, 
in the rower, are sufficiently annoying without this sweating 
process. Wherever there is an unusual colleciion of fat, on 
that part must, in either mode, be heaped a greater amount 
of clothing, and especially if the shoulders should be clogged 
and loaded. No one can reach well over his toes if his shoul- 
der blades are confined, or if his abdomen is too bulky ; and 



52 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST, 

the first thing to be done is to sweat down the fat as I have 
described. Either of the above processes may be repeated 
two or three times a week, and they tire far better than night 
sweating by Dover's powder or any of the sweating liquors 
which formerly were so much recommended. 

Use Sweating Liquors. — Whatever medicine is taken for 
this purpose, it would oe unsafe either to use cold water 
next morning, or to expose the body as in rowing; and 
therefore they are quite inadmissible in an exercise which 
positively necessitates exposure of the body. It has been 
long held that for long continued or fast work sweating 
medicines are absolutely necessary; and no doubt many of 
our best runners have used them. I believe, however, in all 
cases, the hydropathic wet sheet packing will be found far 
better for pedestrian purposes. It gives much greater light- 
ness of spirits, more agility of limb, and less tendency to 
rheumatic stiffness. Let any person make trial of it and he 
will "throw physic to the dogs " ever afterwards, at least 
for this purpose. It may be used twice or even thrice a 
week, before breakfast, and 1 l-21b. to 21b. or ever 31b. may 
be got off each time it is applied. In sweating for pedestri- 
an^purposes the arms and body should be clothed much 
heavier than the legs. The great object is first to unload 
the great viscera from all fat interfering with their functions, 
and next to reduce the absolute weight of the whole body 
above the hips, including the abdomen, chest, neck, and 
arms, which are all of little use in walking or running as 
compared with the legs. 

It is very easy to apply the wet sheet exclusively to the 
trunk and arms and to clothe the legs only slightly, or 
only just so much a& to prevent a chill. Natural sweating 
is wholly inadmissible in this kind of training, since it short- 
ens the stride, from the quantity of clothing, and makes the 
pace slow, slovenly and dull; the choice, therefore, is be- 
tween the wet sheet packing and a sweat by a scruple of 
Dover's powders at night, or half a pint of whey made with 
white wine, aad with thirty drops each of antimonial wine 
and sweet spirits of nitre added. This is, no doubt, a strong 
sweater, but it upsets the stomach and leaves the skin to be 
eas ; ly chilled. In any case the whole body should be rubbed 
with gloves night and morning. 

The Following Diet will, I think, be found the best for 
all training purposes: 

Breakfast.— There is no doubt that the very be3t food for 
this meal is oatmeal porridge, with the addition of a certain 
allowance of beef or mutton, and a little bread; but many 
have the greatest objection to this diet, and never eat it with- 
out loathing. For them, I believe the next best beverage ig 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 53 

a pint of table-beer, home-made, and not too strong, and 
giving with it a larger allowance of bread. It is not desir- 
able to stint the appetite, unless very enormous, or unless 
there is a great superabundance of fat; but I believe it will, 
in most cases, be found more advantageous to reduce the 
weight by work and sweating, than by starvation. The be3t 
mode of dressing the meat is to broil it; and here I must say 
a word about the degree of cookery to which it should be 
subjected. It i3 generally directed that the steak or chop 
should be quite underdone; this, I am sure, is a fallacy. In 
broiling, very little nutriment is lost, after the outside is once 
caught by the Are. Now, if nothing is lost, there is much 
gained by keeping the steak on the gridiron till properly 
done through; for the food is rendered much more palatable 
to mo3t, and certainly more digestible to all. I have known 
many Who were thoroughly disgusted by their "red rags," 
as they have called their underdone steaks, and, from their 
dislike to such food, were quite unable to digest them. Tea 
and coffee are uot good for training purposes, though I do 
not think them so bad as is generally supposed, if not taken 
too strong; cocoa is too greasy, and not so good as tea — 
which, if taken, should not be green. 

I am inclined to thick, that in those cases where tea or 
coliee is habitually taken, and porridge or beer is much dis- 
liked, it is better to allow them than to attempt too great an 
alteration in diet. Butter, sauces, and spices should be care- 
fully avoided; and nothing but salt, and a very slight dash 
of black pepper used as a condiment. 

Dinner. — This important meal should consist of roast beef 
or mutton, or, occasionally, a boiled leg of mutton may be 
allowed as a change; but veal, pork, and salt beef or bacon 
should be avoided; also goose, duck, and wildfowl generally. 
Roast fowls, or partridges, or pheasants, are very good food. 
Hare is too apt to be accompanied by high-seasoned stuffing, 
without which it is scarcely palatable. Nothing is better 
than venison, when come-at-able; but it should be eaten 
without seasoned sauce or currant jelly. As to vegetables, 
potatoes may be eaten, but very sparingly— not more than 
one or two at a meal; cauliflower or broccoli only as an oc- 
casional change, and no other vegetable is allowable. Bread 
may be given ad libitum, and about a pint to a pint and a 
half of good sound home-made beer. If this does not agree, 
a little sherry and water, or claret and water, may be allowed 
with the meal; and a glass or two of the former wine, or of 
good sound port, after dinner. 

When the training is continued for any length of time, and 
the previous habits of the party have accustomed the stom- 
ach to it, I have found the occasional use of white fish— such 



51 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

as cod or soles — a very useful change. Nothing disorders 
the stomach of man more than keeping to one diet, and this 
must be constantly borne in mind by the trainer. The 
round he can make is no:, very extensive, but let him by all 
means stretch it to the utmost limits of which it is capable. 
It is even desirable to give an occasional pudding, but it 
should always have bread for its foundation. A good cook 
will easily make a very palatable pudding of bread with a 
little milk and an egg or two, ana this, served up with fresh 
green gooseberries boiled, or in any common preserve, is by 
no means disagreeable to the palate or unwholesome to the 
stomach; but let it be only as a change, not as otherwise 
useful. The grand articles of diet are beef and mutton, with 
bread or porridge, and if the stomach and palate would ac- 
cept them gratefully, no change would be neceessary ; but, 
as they seldom will, the Lest plan is not to attempt too 
much. 

Supper. — Many trainers object to this meal; but I am sat- 
isfied, from experience, that unless the training is of so long 
a duration as to thoroughly accustom the stomach to the 
long fast from dinner to the next morning, it is much better 
to allow a light meal at eight o'clock. Oatmeal porridge is 
for this purpose the best; and no one will be the worse for a 
pint of it, with some dry toast to eat with it, or soaked in the 
porridge itself. I do not believe that meat is ever neces- 
sary at night, except in very delicate constitutions, who re- 
quire unusual support. For such cases I have found a chop 
at night, with a glass of port wine, or even of eg^ and sher- 
ry, a very valuable means of keeping up the strength. In- 
deed, it will be found that no absolute rule can be laid down 
for all cases; and the trainer requires great experience and 
aptness for his task to enable him to bring all his men out 
in the same degree of relative strength. Notbing is so likely 
to destroy a boat's chance as a variable state of condition 
in the component parts of the crew. It is far better that all 
should tire equally, than that half should shut up early in 
the race, while the others are capable of using their full 
strength. » 

Hence, as I have before remarked, some will require much 
more liberal and generous diet than others. If, for instance, 
the habit is gross, and the appetite good, it will be needful 
to allow only the plainest diet, and to vary it very little. By 
this precaution, enough, and not too much, is sure to be 
taken, and the amount of work will insure its digestion. If, 
on the other hand, the constitution is delicate, with a want 
of appetite, want of digestion, and tendency to too great a 
loss of flesh, then it is desirable to allow considerable change 
from day to day; and, as far as is prudent, to comply witU 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 55 

the particular fancies of the palate. Many stomachs bear 
port wine well; and in those who have a tendency to diar- 
rhoea it is often indispensable. Others, again, are purged by 
oatmeal, and this is a sufficient reason for avoiding porridge. 
In some all the bread should be toasted, to prevent diarrhoea, 
whilst in others, when constipation is present, coarse brown 
bread, make from the genuine undressed flour, is a good 
remedy tor that troublesome evil. Whatever bread is eaten 
should be two days old, and the beef and mutton hung as 
long as the weather will permit. The best part of a sheep 
for chops is the leg of a two or three-year-old wether; and 
for steaks, a well-hung rump or the inside of a sirloin. 

It is often the practice to allow the crew to put into a 
river-side tavern duringHhe hours of practice, and take half 
a pint or a pint of beer or poster each. This plan I am sure is 
bad, the strength ought never to depend on immediate stimuli, 
and it is far better to shorten the practice than to keep it up 
by these means. I am quite sure that in training there are 
very few who require more than three pints, or at the outside 
two quarts of good beer per day, of the strength of five 
bushels to the hogshead; and the average quantity required 
is certainly not more than two pints and a half per man. 
Allowance must of course be made for previous habits, and 
for strength or weakness of constitution. In the early days 
of practice, and in the race itself, great distress sometimes 
occurs; there is considerable blueness of face from conges- 
tion, and the breathing is labored and difficult. The best 
remedy for this state is a glass of warm brandy and water, 
and plenty of hard friction on the feet, legs and thighs; or, 
if it still persists, a warm bath at 98 degrees. 



Sect. III. 

Treatment of Accidents Occurring in Training. 

Blisters of the Hands and Feet.— These troublesome 
little companions occur either on the hands from rowing, or 
on the feet from walking; in both cases without due prepara- 
tion. They also occur in a still more troublesome situation, 
either from the thwart in rowing, or from the saddle in rid- 
ing; but in the latter case only in the very raw and young 
equestrian. Should they arise on the hands, they should be 
pricked with a fine needle, if this can be done before 
they have burst. The needle should be inserted obliquely, 
and the watery fluid contained in the blister should then be 
pressed out; and this should be repeated as soon as the blis- 
ter has filled a second or third time. In this way the contact 
of the air is avoided, and in two days the true skin becomes 



56 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

protected by a new cuticle or scarf-skin. If, unfortunately, 
the blister is broken, the best plan is to apply some collo- 
dion with a brush ; but it gives considerable pain and seldom 
remains on more than six hours, after which time it requires 
renewal. If the pain of this i3 objected to, then apply either 
finely carded (medicated) cotton in a thin layer under a kid 
glove, or finely powdered gum arabic; but in either case the 
hands must be kept from water carefully till the expiration 
of twenty-four hours. 

If possible, three days should elapse before the oar is again 
taken in hand; but if the oarsman cannot be spared, a kid 
glove should be put on over the collodion. When the. feet 
are the seat of the mischief, there is the same necessity for 
the preservation of the cuticle, and the needle should be 
used in the same way; if, however, this protection is remov- 
ed, a piece of fine kid should be spread with soap plaister, 
and applied over the skin, extending for at least half an inch 
beyond the blister in every direction. This treatment an- 
swers on the feet, while on the hands it is wholly useless, 
because the friction of the oar soon rubs off the plaster, while 
under the shoe it remains tolerably well and smoothly ap- 
plied. Where the blister exists on the seat of honor, in con- 
sequence of the friction of the thwart, it is very difficult to 
manage, and I have seen hundreds of men with their flannel 
trousers extensively stained with blood from this cause. 
Collodion is the best remedy, but even that is of little use, 
and the only plan I have ever known at all effectual is to 
wear a pair of tight, wash-leather drawers, extending only a 
few inches down the thighs. If these are made to fit very 
nicely, and are well oiled with neatsfoot oil, they will af- 
ford astonishing relief, and enable a man with extensive 
" raws " to row with tolerable ease and comfort; they re- 
quire, however, to be carefully cleaned and oiled each time 
they are worn, without which attention they are worse than 
useless. 

Corns and Bunions. — Blisters are troublesome enough to 
the pedestrian, but corns are a thousand times worse. The 
former are only temporary evils, whilst the latter are a per- 
petual source of discomfort and misery. Corns are of two 
kinds, haid and soft; and this distinction is not only depend- 
ent upon situation, as some people imagine, for the essence 
end even the cause of a soft corn are entirely different and 
distinct from those producing the hard variety. The soft 
corn occurs only between the toes, and partakes more of a 
warty character than that of the true corn. There is really 
a growth of the cutis or true skin, which shoots up some 
little sprouts covered with a cheesey matter, and these be- 
come exquisitely painful if pressed upon by the adjoining toe. 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 57 

On the other hand, the true or hard corn is simply an effort 
of Nature to protect a part unduly pressed upon; but the 
effort is carried to an inordinate extent. It is an over secre- 
tion or formation of cuticle, which, as it becomes thicker and 
harder, is again pressed into the inflamed cutis by the shoe, 
and thus, by acting as a foreign body, aggravates the mis- 
chief, and causes it also to react on itself, by increasing the 
already inordinate secretion of cuticle. 

Thus these causes act and react on each other, till you 
often rind a deep process or processes of hardened cuticle 
driven into the skin, and which are often called by the corn- 
cutter the root or roots of the corn. But it must be under- 
stood that these do not grow first, but are the last results of 
a very obstinate and long-standing mischief. In all cases 
the corn, first of all, has no root whatever; its growth is not 
from within outwards, but from without inward, and the 
term "root," therefore, is misapplied. Many tricks are 
passed off upon the credulous patients of the corn-cutter, by 
passing off' pieces of quill or nail, or horn, as extracted from 
thexorn, and often a fee is charged for each root removed. 
I have known thirty-six guineas charged for as many " roots " 
extracted at one sitting, and paid, too, for an operation 
which has afforded only present relief. Bunions are differ- 
ent in appearance and character from either hard or soft 
corns; they are frequently caused by pressure, but in them 
the skin is not the seat of the inflamation, but the synovial 
bag on the inner side of the ball of the great toe, or sometimes 
on the outer side of the middle of the foot, or on the instep. 
In all cases they are soft, pulpy, bag-like projections, often, 
though not always, without hardness or roughness of skin. 
They are attended with great pain and tenderness, and cause 
considerable lameness. 

The treatment of soft corns should be as follows: With the 
nail pick off as much of the cheesy matter as can be re- 
moved; then, if the next day can be given up, apply a piece 
of lunar caustic to the surface, rubbing it pretty well in, but 
avoiding contact with the adjoining skin. After this, keep a 
piece of carded cotton between the toes night and day, and 
it will be found that after twenty-four hours' rest all pain will 
have disappeared, the surface will have lost it3 moisture, 
and will have become hard, black and dry. If the cotton is 
renewed daily this state of ease will be maintained for a week 
or ten days; but then it is necessary to pick off the black- 
ened surface and reapply the caustic, again using the carded 
cotton. This second application will probably last a fort- 
night, but by that time the edges of the blackened cuticle be- 
come loose, and the application should be repeated ; but not, 
in all probability, till three weeks have elapsed. In this way, 



58 HOW TG BECOME A GYMNAST. 

by three or four applications, the most obstinate and painful 
soft corns yield to treatment and become permanently cured; 
but the skin between the toes should be kept constantly 
washed and rubbed with a soft towel, so as to remove 
every particle of secretion daily. 

With regard to hard corns, nothing will be effectual as a 
cure unless the pressure which caused them is discontinued. 
In that case they require very little treatment; but if it is 
continued, as it must be when they occur on the sole of the 
foot, the only remedies are palliative, and require constant 
and careful repetition. Corn-cutters are constantly holding 
out certain hopes of a cure, but this is a fraud upon the un- 
wary, and only leads to the picking of their pockets. It is 
quite true that a skillful corn-cutter will remove, without 
pain, every vestige of a corn, and will give instant and en- 
tire relief; but this only lasts for a fortnight or three weeks, 
the time varying according to the rapidity of growth in each 
particular case. Any one, however, who has the use of his 
hands may readily treat his own corns, if he will attend to 
the following directions:— In the first place, the cuticle 
should never be allowed to <rrow to such a degree as to occa- 
sion pain ; it should be carefully removed before that time, 
and the best instrument for its removal is a pair of nail-scis- 
sors; with these a small piece of the thickened cuticle should 
be caught hold of and raised from its bed at *,he same time, 
then gradually closing the blades, it is removed without any 
great pain; for if much is given, it is only necessary to raise 
the scissors still more, and, as it were, drag the corn out of 
its bed, when the pain ceases, and the excision of that por- 
tion is effected. 

After removing this small slice, another adjoining slice is 
to be taken hold of and removed in the same way, till all 
vestige of the hardened cuticle is gone; after which the part 
may either be covered with a piece of wash-leather spread 
with soap-plaister, or left to its fate. The former is of 
course the better plan; but, if the corn is removed as often 
and as fast as it grows, there is no necessity for adopting it. 
On the sole of the foot the scissors cannot be used, and 
this is the most unmanageable situation by far. It is almost 
impossible for the sufferer to cut these himself, either with a 
knife or scissors; aud he should remove them either, when 
dry, with a piece of coarse sandpaper fixed on a rounded 
surface, or, when soaked, with a piece of pumicestone. This 
treatment will suffice for corns which are troublesome while 
training; but when rest can be given they should be re- 
moved, either with caustic, as described for the soft corn, or 
with tinnture of iodine applied with a paint-brush. In either 
case the cuticle should be first pared down, and then one or 



HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 59 

other of the above remedies should be applied; but the in- 
flammation, especially after the second application, is con- 
siderable, and rest must generally be given. They are both, 
therefore, inadmissible in training. Bunions should have 
two or three leeches applied to them every other day for a 
week, after which they may be left alone till the bites are 
well, and then they should be brushed with tincture of 
iodine every third day. This treatment will generally suf- 
fice, but not in very obstinate cases. Such cases, however, 
are sek'om adapted for training, and therefore are not within 
my province. 

Boils. — These are an effort of nature to get rid of a dead 
piece of cellular membrane by means of inflammatory ac- 
tion. In consequence of some peculiar condition of the 
blood, of the exact nature of which little is known, a death 
(or sloughing, as it is called) of a portion of cellular mem- 
brane takes place under the true skin ; to remove tnis for- 
eign body nature sets up an inflammation, which is invaria- 
bly of a slow and congestive character. It appears as if the 
poisonous nature of • the slough irritates the surrounding 
parts to such a degree as in some measure to interfere with 
the process of absorption, and consequently a painful and 
hardened circle of swelled and reddened skin is formed 
around the dead cell. In most cases the thickening is so 
great, as to stop the circulation in the interior of the circle, 
and the boil remains stationary for a long time. The only 
remedy for this condition is either application of some 
stimulating greasy application — such as a linseed poultice, 
or the division by means of a knife. Either of these reme- 
dies more or less speedily put an end to the inactive condi- 
tion, and then a healthy suppurgation goes on to remove the 
cell, and by throwing up fresh granulations, as they are 
called, to restore what has been removed. Such is the na- 
ture and ordinary treatment of a boil; but In training it is 
almost impossible to bear the use of the knife if the boil is 
on any part which is subject to much friction. 

In other situations it may be used, but if a toil occurs on 
the seat of the rower, as is often the case, if the knife is used 
at least a week or ten days musi be lost before the patient 
can expose the raw surface to the friction of the ihwart. 
Here, therefore, the best plan is to apply a plaister, spread on 
leather, and composed of equal parts of mercurial and opiate 
plaister. This stimulates and relaxes the inflamed vessels, 
and the opiate relieves the pain to a great degree; but even 
this is only a partial remedy, as without rest it is impossible 
entirely to relieve boils. To those who are known to be sub- 
ject to boils I would recommend, as a prevention, the use of 
a wash of nitrate of silver of the strength of 15 to 20 grains 



60 HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. 

to the ounce. This should be painted over the part every 
night, and will, of course, turn it more or less black; but it 
seems to give tone to the vessels, and to prevent that low 
and congestive state which precedes the death of the cellular 
membrane; at all events it prevents the formation of boils. 

Hernia or Rupture is a mechanical protrusion of a por- 
tion of intestine, and, in the ordinary way, may oe either at 
the naval or at the groin. Wherever it is it requires the 
constant use (by day only) of a truss; and all that is requir- 
ed is, that the instrument should be exactly adapted to the 
part which it has to perform. A rupture may be generally 
distinguished from other tumors, even by an unskilled per- 
son, if the hand is placed upon it during the act of cough- , 
ing. At the moment when the cough is heard, a strong im- 
pulse will be given to the hand, and the hernia will for a mo- 
ment appear much harder and somewhat larger. This 
peculiar sensation can scarcely be mistaken, and the sufferer 
should at once proceed to a good surgical instrument maker 
for the purpose of being fitted with a good truss. 

Hgemorrhoids, or, as they are commonly called, piles, are 
very often exceedingly troublesome in training; they are 
generally symptomatic of congestion of the liver, and are 
relieved by those measures which remove that condition, 
The reason for this is obvious—the veins which return the 
blood to the heart from the lower bowels pass througk the 
liver in their way, and consequently, whatever impedes the 
passage of the blood through them has a tendency to pro- 
duce the effect on the hoemorrhodial veins. Hoemorrhoids 
are, in fact, varicose veins in the rectum, sometimes bleed- 
ing in consequence of their walls giving way; they are also 
divided into externa) and internal piles, the distinction, how- 
ever, being only one of situation. It will be unnecessary 
for me to describe the appearance of these troublesome little 
swelllings, as they are so exceedingly common as to be well 
known to almost every one. In their treatment three points 
are to be attended to — first, to unload the liver; secondly, 
to prevent mechanical irritation by the presence and pas- 
sage of solid foeces; and, thirdly, to allay the inflammation 
already existing by local remedies. The first and second of 
these objects may generally be combined, but in very badly 
congestive states of the liver a dose or two of blue pill must 
be given in addition to this remedy. It should be avoided, 
however, if possible, as its immediate effect is rather to ag- 
gravate than allay the local irritation. 

[THE END.] 



THE GOLDEN WEEKLY 

Is a Large 16 Page, Illustrated Story 
and Sketch Paper for Both Young 
and Old. Its Stories Cannot be 
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Have a National Reputa- 
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THE GOLDEN WEEKLY: 

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Tom Teaser— H. K. Shackleford— Ralph Mor- 
ton — Allan Arnold— J. T. Brougham — Hal 
Standish— A. F. Hill— D. W, Stevens— Tom 
Fox (Philadelphia Detective) — Frank 
Forrest — John Sherman — Horace Ap- 
pleton — Richard R. Montgomery — 
Col. Ralph Fenton— Percy B. St. 
John — Capt. Geo, Granville, 
U.S.A. — Alexander Arm- 
strong — James D, Mon- 
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THE GOLDEN WEEKLY 

For the year 1889 will be sent to yonr address, post-paid, tor 
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CLUB KATES : 

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For sale by all newsdealers, or sent to your address, post- 
paid, on receipt of price. Address 

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Sox 3730. 34 and 36 North Moore Street, K. I. 



SOME GREAT STORIES 



Published in the 



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106 Simple Silas Among the Moonshiners, by Harry Rockwoo<2 

107 The Black Band, by Paul Br iddon 

108 Pacific Dick, the Pirates' Dread, by J. G. Bradle7 

109 Shorthand Dick ; or, The Young Reporter in Omaha, 

by Robert Maynard 

110 The Mystic " 7 ;" or, The Terror of the Bandits, 

by Gaston Game 

111 Little Crow; or, The Tomahawk and Scalping Knife 

in Minnesota, by Robert Lennox 

112 The Tattooed Hand, by Paul Braddon 

113 Lost in New York ; or, A Country Boy's Adventures, 

by C. Little 

114 Simple Silas and the Night-Riders, by Harry Rock wood 

115 The Ocean Scout; or, Captain Low's Last Cruise, 

by Don Jenardo 

116 The Haunted Island, by Robert Lennox 

117 Torpedo Tom ; or, What a Yankee Boy Can Do, 

by Howard De Vere 

118 Lightning Joe, by R. T. Emmet 

119 Among the Thugs; or, Two Yankee Boys in India, 

by Hal Standish 

120 Young Phenix ; or, Avenged From the Grave, 

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121 General Grant's Boy Spy;or,/The Hero cf Five 

Forks, by Ralph Morton 

122 The Pearl of the Border; or, The Girl Avenger, 

by Robert Maynard 

123 The Boy Captives ol the Zulus; or, Held For Ran- 

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124 The Invisible Scout, by P. T. Raymond 

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No. 541 Frank Reade, and His Steam Man of the Plains. 

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No. 625 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Steam Wonder. 

No. 627 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Electric Boat. 

No. 629 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Adventures With His Latest 
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No. 631 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Air-Ship. 

No. 633 Frank Reade, Jr.'s Marvel. 

No. 651 Frank Reade, Jr., in the Clonds. 

No. 667 Frank Reade, Jr.'s Great Electric Tricycle, 

No. 697 Frank Reade, Jr., With His Air-Ship in Africa. 

No. 744 Across the Continent on Wings ; or, Frank Reade, Jr.'s 
Greatest Flight. 

No. 750 Frank Reade, Jr., Exploring Mexico in His New Air- 
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No. 791 The Electric Man; or, Frank Reade, Jr., in Australia. 

No. S15 The Electric Horse: or, Frank Reade, Jr., and His 
Father in Search of the Lost Treasure of the Peruvians. 

No. 849 Frank Reade, Jr.'s Chase through the Cloud3. 

No. 855 Frank Reade, Jr., and His Electric Team. 

No. 877 Frank Reade, Jr's, Search For a Sunken Ship. 

For sale by all newsdealers, or, sent by return mail on re- 
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EXCITING STORIES 

Published in the 

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Price 10 Cents Each. 32 Pages. 



842 Chasing the James Boys ; or, A Detective's Dangerous 

Case, by D. W. Stevens. 

343 A Masked Mystery ; or, Tracking a Bird of Prey, 

by J. T. Brougham. 

844 An American Detective in Egypt; or, Exciting Work 

Amoiig the Pyramids, by Allan Arnold. 

845 A Pile of Bricks; "or, Old King Brady and the Box of 

Rubies, by A New York Detective. 

846 " 3-4-6-9 ;" or, The Bank Burglars' League, by A, F. Hill. 

347 The Johnstown Detective ; or, Tracking the Robbers of 

the Dead, by Police Captain Howard. 

348 The James Boys and the Detectives, by D. W. Stevens. 

349 Young Royal, the "Always on Time" Detective and 

Bis Horse of Many Disguises, by Old Cap Lee. 

350 The Padded Room; or, A Detective's Search for an 

Heiress, by Robert Maynard. 

351 The Lightning Change Detective, by Allan Arnold. 

352 C. O. D. ; or, The Mystery of a Trunk, 

by Police Captain Howard. 

353 1001 ; or, The Detective's Mysterious Foes, 

by J. T. Brougham. 

354 The Belt of Gold ; or, Old Kins Brady in Peru, 

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355 1 Against 100; or, Working a Clew "in the Dark, 

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356 The James Boys ; or, The Bandit King's Last Shot, 

by D. W. Stevens. 

357 An Iron Bound Keg; or, the Error that Cost a Life, 

by Old Cap Lee. 

358 Sam Sixkiller, the Cherokee Detective ; or, The James 

Boys' Most Dangerous Foe, by D. W. Stevens. 

359 Old King Brady and the James Boys. 

by A New York Detective. 

360 Nick Neverseen ; or, The Invisible Detective. A Start- 

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